ASEAN Emphasizes Commitment to Maintain Centrality and Unity

VIVA – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has emphasized its commitment to maintain centrality, unity, and relevance to face challenges in the region. 

"(We) will try to strengthen ASEAN's capacity and effectiveness to address current and future challenges, and respond to crises on time," ASEAN leaders stated in a joint statement released on the first day of the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), Wednesday.

Enhancing ASEAN's institutional capacity and effectiveness is considered essential to building a peaceful, stable, secure, prosperous, and resilient community.

"ASEAN will be enhanced with the ability to develop institutions capable of effectively responding to urgent situations on time to maintain peace, security, and ensure the prosperity of our peoples," according to the ASEAN Leaders' Statement on Strengthening ASEAN Institutional Capacity and Effectiveness.

Through the High-Level Task Force on the Post-2025 ASEAN Community Vision (HLTV-ACV), the regional organization is working on ASEAN's strategic direction for the next two decades until 2045.

The vision was developed by upholding the principles of the ASEAN Charter and consolidating the integration process towards a rules-based and people-oriented ASEAN community.

ASEAN leaders also agreed to strengthen external partners as well as in an evolving regional architecture centered on an open, transparent, inclusive, and rules-based ASEAN.

Earlier, in a meeting with ASEAN leaders and the HLTF-ACV, Indonesian President Joko Widodo said that ASEAN must prepare for the worst amid current global challenges.

"ASEAN must be prepared with increasingly complex challenges. We must prepare for the worst, but still hope for the best," President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said in Labuan Bajo on Wednesday.

The ASEAN Summit in Indonesia's chairmanship period was held twice, namely on May 9-11 in Labuan Bajo and September 2023 in Jakarta. 

In this year's chairmanship, Indonesia carries the theme "ASEAN Matters: Epicenter of Growth" which means ASEAN is important and relevant as the center of world growth.

There are three important elements in the meaning of ASEAN Matters, namely strengthening ASEAN capacity and effectiveness, ASEAN unity, and ASEAN centrality. 

While the meaning of Epicentrum of Growth, Indonesia seeks to ensure important elements in the region consisting of health architecture, energy security, food security, and financial stability.