(VOVworld) - The two-day 17th ASEAN Finance Ministers' Meeting concluded in Brunei on Thursday with a joint ministerial statement reaffirming their commitment to promote a stable and integrated ASEAN.

Participants at ASEAN Finance Ministers' Meeting in Brunei (Photo: mof.gov.vn)

The statement said "We are determined to continue our efforts to work towards economic and financial integration". ASEAN’s finance ministers also vowed to narrow the development gap and raise the living standards of their people by reducing barriers to trade, investment, and financial flows. In order to strengthen ASEAN’s financial cooperation and economic integration, the ASEAN finance ministers said there is a need for stronger economic surveillance efforts.

In related news, the ASEAN Secretariat announced that the Initiative for ASEAN Integration, IAI, convened the first consulting meeting to discuss the mobilization of financial resources and contributions to implement its second action plan until 2015. The meeting offers a venue for IAI members to exchange information and increase mutual understanding on available resources for Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam. The IAI was launched at the ASEAN Summit in 2000 to narrow the development gap and accelerate economic integration of the newer members of ASEAN, namely Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam.