ASEAN Urged to Adopt Next-Generation Policies for Productivity Surge

Addressing the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Southeast Asia, Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva stressed that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) block must implement structural reforms—such as removing red tape, enhancing workforce skills and deepening financial and technology integration—to unlock its large-scale productivity potential. With a combined GDP exceeding US$4 trillion and growth rates running above global averages, the region is seen as ripe for acceleration but also vulnerable if reforms lag. The focus shifts from stimulus to sustainment of growth.