ATRION Concept: Update

18 December 2018
Philippine Embassy in NZ

As approved by the ASEAN Committee Wellington (ACW) last 28 June 2018, the ASEAN Trio Network
(ATRION) Concept is a framework which seeks to facilitate the making of substantive contributions
by ASEAN Committees in Third Countries (ACTCs) such as the ACW to the overall knowledge base of
ASEAN. What was initially proposed was the holding of ATRION Forums, featuring visiting and local
ASEAN dignitaries and academics (see attached paper).

Both the NZ Southeast Asia Centre for Asia-Pacific Excellence (SEACAPE) and Victoria University
Centre for Strategic Studies (CSS) had expressed interest and support for the project. Among the
first invited Speakers was Philippine Political Science Professor Aries Arugay, and the other ASEAN
Fellows@50 programme members. This was targeted for November 2018. However, Dr. Arugay’s
visit was postponed to 2019, and the ACW did not have time to organise an ATRION activity for the
other distinguished ASEAN personalities visiting NZ in the latter part of 2018.

It is therefore proposed that in addition to Forums, that the ACW produce another ATRION
“product” – namely short articles with commentary and context. These articles would be based on
the activities of the ACW aside from the envisioned Forums, including the visits of ASEAN dignitaries,
the results of ASEAN-themed activities in NZ (such as the ASEAN Country Business Forums, the
ASEAN-NZ Youth Conference, ASEAN Nationals Community Organisations in NZ et al) and other
activities relevant to ASEAN in NZ – with the addition of commentary by the ACW members and
possibly other stakeholders. The commentary would include the relevance of the said activities to
particular thrusts of ASEAN, such as the three ASEAN Pillars, and to issues of topical interest such as
the emerging Indo-Pacific Concept, ASEAN Nationals Communities in NZ, NZ awareness of ASEAN, et
al.