ASEAN Overview
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a political, economic, and cultural organization of countries located in Southeast Asia. It was formed on August 8, 1967, by Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines. The founding members were later joined by Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia.

The ASEAN Business Summit
From January 11 to 13, 2007, the annual ASEAN Business Summit will be held in Cebu City, Philippines. Now in its 12th year, the Summit will bring together the heads of states and foreign ministers of all 10 ASEAN member-countries and their dialogue partners to address economic and cultural development issues in formal, roundtable meetings.

Aside from internal meetings, the ASEAN Business Summit will also be a venue for multilateral, inter-region dialogues between ASEAN member-countries and dialogue partners from other Asian regions and the rest of the world, namely China, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Canada, the European Union, India, Mongolia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and the United States.

Target Audience
The three-day Summit will be participated in by heads of states and foreign ministers from Southeast Asia as delegates and their entourages. This internationally promoted and publicized event will also be participated in by heads of states and foreign ministers of ASEAN dialogue partners from other Asian regions such as China, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, India, Mongolia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea and East Timor, as well as those from Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Canada, the U.S. and the European Union. Aside from the delegates and participants, the Summit is also expected to draw local and foreign media organizations and generate international press.

In all, approximately 2,500 delegates and up to 3,000 members of the press are expected to attend the three-day summit, providing a unique opportunity to communicate with key personalities in ASEAN and with many more regional residents via the media.

According to a recent report by International Data Corporation (IDC), e-government initiatives are driving IT spending in Asia-Pacific. With a number of the participating countries set to double their spending on technology for the public sector, the 12th ASEAN Business Summit offers a unique opportunity to interface with top government leaders of Asia's most dynamic economies in one venue, and to demonstrate the latest e-government technologies available to them.

Agenda
Among the activities taking place at the 12th ASEAN Business Summit are:
    · ASEAN internal organization meeting;
    · Conference among ASEAN leaders and foreign ministers of the ASEAN Regional Forum (Australia,
      Canada, China, European Union, India, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Mongolia, New Zealand,
      Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Russia, East Timor, and the United States);
    · Meeting among ASEAN heads of state and those of China, Japan and South Korea; Meeting among
      ASEAN leaders and those of Australia and New Zealand

Venue
The ASEAN Business Summit activities will be held concurrently at the following venues:

Cebu International Convention Center
The most modern convention center in the Philippines is scheduled to be completed in late October 2006. Built on three hectares of land at the Mandaue Reclamation Area in Mandaue, Cebu, the three-storey (basement included) structure will have a total floor area of 20,000 square meters of exhibition space and convention areas.

Shangri-La's Mactan Island Resort
Located on the island of Mactan, Shangri-La's Mactan Island Resort is the Philippines' largest and most exclusive deluxe resort. The hotel has two grand ballrooms and smaller function rooms that can be utilized for the ASEAN Business Summit activities.

Sponsorship categories are provided in the next section.