At a time when much of the world is building digital walls, Southeast Asia is trying something more ambitious: building a digital bridge.
Earlier this year, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) concluded negotiations on the Digital Economy Framework Agreement, or DEFA—the world’s first comprehensive, region-wide agreement dedicated to the digital economy. The pact is expected to be signed at the ASEAN Summit this November, when leaders from the group’s 11 member states will converge in Manila.
