Introduction

The new byword for ASEAN is “connectivity”. In the current competitive environment, connectivity as a concept is of paramount importance to countries, and furthermore, to regions attempting to achieve collective economic success.

As has been stated before, connectivity among nations is sine qua non in the age of globalization. For a region to succeed globally, connectivity and the resulting coherence in activity and goals within the nations is what will increase the ability to compete. Connectivity is important on various levels. From physical to institutional, to cultural and social, connectivity within a region is integral in order for a region to succeed.

ASEAN, as a region, has various goals. The most prominent of these is to achieve economic integration by 2015. In order to achieve this and ensure future success of the region, various measures have been taken. The ASEAN Master Plan on Connectivity has done a noteworthy job of mapping out the areas of concern and detailing the possible solutions to problems that may be encountered while building the hard and soft infrastructure. It also ensured the harmonization of frameworks and goals across the member countries.

Of the various levels of connectivity outlined in the Master Plan, physical connectivity forms the backbone, on which the other areas of connectivity can be build upon. Physical connectivity is essentially soft and hard infrastructure. Hard infrastructure would include the actual physical structures that bolster social and economic activities, whilst soft infrastructure consists of the intangible aspects such as frameworks and institutional regulations that aid the functioning of the physical infrastructure.

In the Master Plan, physical connectivity is composed of transport infrastructure (land, air, and maritime), energy infrastructure, and information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure. This chapter will look at all three arms — transport, energy, and ICT — and will highlight the current problems in building the infrastructure. The chapter will conclude with concrete policy recommendations.