Jakarta, Oct. 27 -- Indonesian Minister of Trade Budi Santoso expressed confidence that ongoing efforts to revise and upgrade the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) would enable Southeast Asian nations to better navigate global economic challenges.

According to a statement issued Monday, these efforts were reflected in the signing of the draft Second Protocol to Amend the ATIGA by Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand during the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, October 25.

The following day, Malaysian Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz-who chairs the ASEAN Free Trade Area Council-formally handed the draft to ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn.

"The ...