Podcast host Sothea Ros speaks to Annabel Lee, director of digital policy for Asia–Pacific and Japan, and ASEAN at Amazon Web Services, on the benefits of the Digital Economy Framework Agreement. 

ASEAN's digital future is looking bright, and the Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) could be the key to unlocking its full potential. DEFA is the regional grouping's attempt to develop rules in areas such as digital trade, cross-border e-commerce, digital payments, and artificial intelligence (AI), among others.

In this episode of ADB SEADS's Experts Talk Solutions interview series, Annabel Lee, director of digital policy for Asia–Pacific and Japan, and ASEAN at Amazon Web Services, dives deep into the agreement's core elements, highlighting that DEFA could double the size of ASEAN's digital economy by 2030.

But DEFA is not just about big numbers. The conversation explores how the agreement can revolutionize the way businesses operate across Southeast Asia by boosting cross-border digital trade and accelerating the adoption of transformative technologies like AI. Lee also tackles the challenges of implementation, offering insights on creating a supportive regulatory environment. She also underscores how the business community can play a vital role in ensuring DEFA's success and shaping a brighter digital future for ASEAN.