ASEAN leaders agree to cooperate in tackling regional economic and security challenges

Asia-Pacific, News May 13, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia, from May 9 to May 11, for the 42nd ASEAN leader’s summit. All participants pledged efforts to enhance the bloc’s centrality and economic integration.

President of Indonesia Joko Widodo chaired the meeting between the leaders of Brunei Darussalam, the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Lao’s People Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Singapore, the Kingdom of Thailand and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Indonesian President Widodo called the summit a success and said that the meeting focused on making the ASEAN an “epicenter of growth and region to be peaceful, stable and prosperous.”

On the last day of the 42nd ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia, ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn participated in the 15th Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area Summit (15th BIMP-EAGA Summit). pic.twitter.com/7h8eBdaTrD
— ASEAN (@ASEAN) May 11, 2023

Violence in Myanmar

Violence and raging internal conflicts in Myanmar remained one of the most highlighted issues among the leaders of Southeast Asian countries. Since taking over ASEAN’s rotating chairmanship, Indonesia has been engaging with Myanmar’s military government and armed ethnic groups to try to end the violence.

A joint statement released at the summit stated that “We were deeply concerned with ongoing violence in Myanmar and urged the immediate cessation of all forms of violence and the use of force to create a conducive environment for the safe and timely delivery of humanitarian assistance and inclusive national dialogues.”

Two years ago, ASEAN leaders proposed a five-point peace plan to end the violence and security unrest in Myanmar.

Myanmar’s military chief Min Aung Hlaing has so far ignored ASEAN’s peace efforts and failed to engage with the regional leadership to find a political solution for the ongoing internal conflict. “We condemned the attack and underlined that the perpetrators must be held accountable,” the ASEAN statement said.

ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific (AOIP)

Against the backdrop of the U.S. reinforcing its arc of alliance in the Indo-Pacific region while China increased its regional influence, the bloc reaffirmed its commitment to implement the ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific. According to the official statement, AOIP is a wider roadmap for promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia and the wider Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions.

*^{Indonesia President Joko Widodo attends the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia, on May 10, 2023. (Image Credit: Achmad Ibrahim/via Reuters)}*

The statement added that the implementation of AOIP this year will focus on the creative economy, infrastructure, business, and investment and the role of youth in digital development for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

ASEAN Vision 2045

In a joint statement released by the ASEAN leaders, it was recommended that experts from all the countries should come together to develop a robust and inspirational roadmap for the bloc’s vision for the next 20 years, instead of 10 years. ASEAN’s previous roadmap, Vision 2025, was adopted in 2015 and is about to come to an end in a few years with substantial success.