ASEAN's Secretary-General, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Talks about ASEAN 2045: The Future We All Share

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is embarking on a 20-year journey towards ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future, a vision for a resilient, innovative, dynamic, and people-centred ASEAN. This ambitious plan builds on the achievements of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025: Forging Ahead Together.

ASEAN's gross domestic product (GDP) has already grown to 3.8 trillion US dollars, placing ASEAN as the fifth largest economy worldwide. The region's digital economy is expected to grow to 2 trillion US dollars by 2030, particularly as a result of the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) being concluded.

Since the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015, ASEAN has taken symbolic steps towards deeper economic integration, such as signing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in 2020. However, actual progress remains slow and uneven, with persistent challenges in political commitment, regulatory harmonization, and narrowing development gaps.

ASEAN has managed to keep this region peaceful, secure, and stable with the implementation of the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Blueprint 2025. The strategic measures contained in the APSC Strategic Plan include an entire section on institutional strengthening, but it is the responsibility of all pillars to work towards enhancing ASEAN's institutional capacity and effectiveness.

Inclusivity is a fundamental factor for ASEAN's success. Various stakeholders have been consulted during the crafting of ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future. Specific sectoral bodies have been identified to implement the various strategic measures, and their identification has been undertaken in an inclusive and consultative manner.

ASEAN is actively engaging its peoples, particularly the youth, to ensure their active participation and inclusion in achieving the 2045 vision. A comprehensive communication plan has been agreed upon, including creating a Wikipedia page, translating the compendium into national languages, issuing joint statements, highlighting key elements in various formats, and utilizing ASEAN's website and social media channels.

ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future lays out strategic goals to reinforce ASEAN Centrality in the region and its engagements with external parties. ASEAN now has 11 Dialogue Partners, six of which are Comprehensive Strategic Partners, eight Sectoral Dialogue Partners, and six Development Partners.

The ASEAN Vision 2025 aims for a more rules-based, people-centered, and resilient community. However, the bloc’s ability to handle future challenges depends on overcoming internal divisions, strengthening institutions, and delivering on promises of regional integration, especially in areas like digital transformation, climate action, and crisis management.

The various sectors would go through the exercise of identifying specific activities that contribute to the robust implementation of various strategic measures in the strategic plans, ensuring that the process is participatory, robust, and dynamic. Institutional strengthening is a crucial part of ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future, with the aim of developing capacity and making resources available.

ASEAN is expected to step up its communication and outreach strategy to ensure that all peoples of ASEAN are fully aware of how ASEAN is impacting their lives and how they could take advantage of the opportunities available through ASEAN. The bloc is well-prepared to face future challenges due to the emphasis on resilience in the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.

In conclusion, ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future is a comprehensive plan that outlines strategic goals to reinforce ASEAN Centrality, promote inclusivity, and ensure resilience in the face of future challenges. The success of this vision depends on the active participation of all ASEAN members, the youth, and various stakeholders, as well as the commitment to institutional strengthening and the delivery of promises of regional integration.