One Decade. One Region. One Voice for ASEAN+3
SINGAPORE, February 9, 2026—AMRO today marks 10 years as an international organization, a milestone that reflects its evolution into an independent, credible and professional regional organization serving the ASEAN+3 economies as a trusted policy advisor.
Since becoming an international organization in 2016, AMRO has grown from a small surveillance unit supporting the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralisation (CMIM) into an independent, professionally run institution mandated by ASEAN+3 to support regional macroeconomic resilience and financial stability. Over the past decade, AMRO has provided timely and relevant assessment and policy advice through surveillance, supported the operation of ASEAN+3 regional financing arrangements, and scaled up capacity building to support member economies.
“AMRO’s first decade has been about building credibility, independence, and trust,” said Mr. Yasuto Watanabe, Director/CEO of AMRO. “It was also a decade of testing amid heightened global uncertainty and repeated shocks, including a global pandemic, sharp financial tightening cycles, trade tensions, and geopolitical conflicts. These challenges have shaped both the region and AMRO.”
While crisis response remains core to its mandate, AMRO has increasingly focused on resilience building—identifying vulnerabilities, providing forward-looking policy advice, strengthening institutional capacity, and fostering policy dialogue across the region and beyond.
“AMRO has evolved from responding to crises to helping the region prepare for the future,” Mr. Watanabe added. “In a more fragmented world, regional cooperation and integration matter more than ever. Institutions like AMRO are anchors of stability, trust, and collective action.”
Looking ahead to its second decade, AMRO is deepening its analytical capacity, upgrading frameworks and tools, investing in talent, and remaining agile in the face of uncertainty. As ASEAN+3 confronts transformative forces and structural shifts, including digitalization, demographic changes, climate transitions, and geoeconomic fragmentation, AMRO will actively support deeper regional integration while strengthening its role as a trusted policy advisor for ASEAN+3 and a thought leader with global influence.
Marking AMRO’s first decade as an international organization is not only a moment of reflection, but a forward-looking platform—underscoring its growing relevance, credibility, and enduring commitment to serving ASEAN+3. As Mr. Watanabe noted, “One decade on, AMRO moves forward with one region united by shared purpose and one trusted voice for ASEAN+3.”
About AMRO
AMRO is an international organization established to support macroeconomic resilience and financial stability of the ASEAN+3 region, comprising members of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) and China; Hong Kong, China; Japan; and Korea. AMRO’s mandate is to conduct macroeconomic surveillance, support regional financial arrangements, and provide technical assistance to the members. AMRO also serves as a regional knowledge hub and provides support to ASEAN+3 financial cooperation.