KUALA LUMPUR: The BNM-OMFIF Inaugural KL Debate will kick off the second day of the 19th Asean Finance Ministers' and Related Meeting tomorrow.

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) Governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz will deliver a keynote address at the debate.

Speakers in the debate include former Finance Minister of Indonesia Dr Muhamad Chatib Basri, European Investment Bank Permanent Representative in Brussels Dr Ben Knapen, University of Hong Kong Professor of Law Prof Chin Leng Lim and SAIS Europe Director Prof Michael Plummer.

The themes of the debate are regional integration and whether this is contradictory to the World Trade Organisation agenda; the growing role of regional cooperation initiatives and whether this weakens the global effort; and whether growth will be driven by regional rather than global initiatives.

After the debate, Asean central bank governors and financial institution chiefs will take part in a dialogue, followed by the Asean Finance Ministers' Retreat at The View@Chulan, Royale Chulan Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

In conjunction with the Asean Finance Ministers' Meeting (AFMM), the 1Asean Entrepreneurship Summit 2015 was held today, while the 11th Asean Central Bank Governors' Meeting will take place on March 21.

Malaysia is the Chair of Asean for 2015, and its Asean chairmanship is themed "Our People, Our Community, Our Vision". -- BERNAMA