ASEAN Future Forum 2025 | Politics & Law | HÀ NỘI, Vietnam: ASEAN continues to stand as a beacon of multilateralism
Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr Kao Kim Hourn spoke at the first ASEAN Future Forum in Hà Nội in April 2024. — Photo asean.org
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Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr Kao Kim Hourn has written about ASEAN’s prospects and Việt Nam’s role in this emerging community, ahead of the ASEAN Future Forum 2025 in Hà Nội, where he will be attending at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn.
“The fault lines are shifting beneath our feet”
The world is undergoing profound shifts, where the fault lines of geo-politics, economics and society are shifting beneath our feet. Strategic tensions sharpen, technological revolutions upend industries and labour markets and climate-induced disasters escalate with alarming frequency. Meanwhile, the persistence of transnational security threats – from terrorism to cybercrime and human trafficking – continues to test global and regional stability.
The multilateral international system, once the bedrock of global stability, is coming under mounting strain. Great power competition has eroded its effectiveness in addressing shared global solutions to global challenges. Unilateralism is on the rise, alongside the proliferation of exclusive minilateral arrangements. These seismic trends are altering global power dynamics and undermining global governance in concerning ways.
We are living in the digital age that offers both boundless opportunity and profound risks. Artificial intelligence, automation, and digital connectivity are unlocking new frontiers of economic growth and innovation, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in improving human life. Yet, these same technologies are double-edged swords, amplifying our vulnerabilities to cyber warfare and scams, disinformation and misinformation, potentially endangering both individual wellbeing and national security.
Climate change is not a distant crisis – it is a lived reality for many and the existential threat of our time. Rising sea levels threaten entire communities, extreme weather events disrupt economies, and environmental degradation accelerates resource scarcity, endangering both public health and economic wellbeing. The window for action is narrowing. Only through bold investments in renewable energy, transformative sustainability policies, and deeper regional cooperation can we avert irreversible harm to our planet and our people.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has receded, its long shadows remain. Fragile supply chains, widening economic disparities, widespread inflation and the looming threat of future health crises underscore the importance of sustained regional cooperation. Investing in stronger public health infrastructure and economic recovery measures will be key to ensuring ASEAN’s resilience in an increasingly uncertain world.
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Enduring success stems from fundamental principles
Amid these global challenges, ASEAN stands out – outpacing the global average in economic growth, standing as the most preferred FDI destination among developing economies and maintaining robust trade connections with the world. Our demographic advantage further strengthens this trajectory, providing a dynamic workforce that fuels innovation and competitiveness.
Despite the mounting pressure of great power rivalry, ASEAN is determined to exercise greater agency while avoiding entanglement in geopolitical competition. Our region continues to stand as a beacon of multilateralism, maintaining its relevance and importance in setting an affirmative agenda and shaping a conducive environment for our national and regional development.
ASEAN’s enduring success stems from its fundamental principles: consensus-based decision-making that ensures all member states have meaningful participation; commitment to dialogue and diplomacy for resolving internal challenges while constructively engaging external partners; and an inclusive approach that welcomes all stakeholders. These core tested values have made ASEAN an attractive partner in international relations.
These founding principles provide a timeless framework of cooperation for navigating today’s complex challenges while maintaining ASEAN’s cohesiveness, adaptability and relevance. By steadfastly upholding these principles, we continue to build trust, facilitate dialogue and foster cooperation, creating the essential foundation for effective collective action in an increasingly fragmented and polarised world.
While these challenges appear daunting, they simultaneously offer unprecedented opportunities for ASEAN. Capitalising on these possibilities requires both thoughtful reflection and strategic foresight. Only through such careful deliberation can we chart a course toward securing long-term peace, prosperity and security for our peoples while preserving ASEAN’s central role in shaping the regional architecture.
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Invaluable contributions of Việt Nam to ASEAN
Against this backdrop, the ASEAN Future Forum 2025 emerges as a vital platform where diverse stakeholders – from government policymakers to thought leaders in academia and think tanks, as well as business leaders – can engage in meaningful dialogue on our shared future. This year’s theme, ‘Building a United, Inclusive, and Resilient ASEAN amidst Global Transformations’, perfectly encapsulates our collective aspirations and the challenges we face today.
Việt Nam’s hosting of this Forum demonstrates its profound commitment to ASEAN’s continued development and adaptability in a rapidly changing strategic environment. Their leadership in organising this strategic platform for dialogue and collaborative solution-finding is essential for charting our region’s future trajectory. The Forum enables us to collectively examine critical trends, assess our strengths and challenges and strategise our strategic approach to turn potentials to possibilities and to transform challenges into opportunities.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Việt Nam’s accession to ASEAN. Over the past three decades, Việt Nam has made invaluable contributions to the development of the ASEAN Community. From its active participation in ASEAN’s economic and political initiatives to its role in fostering regional dialogue and cooperation, Việt Nam has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to ASEAN. Việt Nam’s leadership in promoting sub-regional cooperation, particularly in the Mekong sub-region, has been especially impactful. Moreover, Việt Nam’s successful Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2020, amid the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, exemplified its ability to navigate complex issues and guide the organisation through a period of unprecedented change.
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Looking ahead, Việt Nam’s dynamic economy, growing regional influence, and commitment to multilateralism position it as a leading force in building a stronger, more resilient ASEAN. Like other ASEAN Member States, it is not simply navigating the present but actively shaping the future, guided by ambitious national development agendas and a shared commitment to regional community-building. Việt Nam’s pursuit of its new ‘era of national rise’ exemplifies this momentum, aligning closely with the forthcoming ASEAN Community Vision 2045. This convergence underscores the region’s collective ambition to build a more resilient, prosperous, and influential ASEAN that stands as a key player in the evolving global landscape.
We can expect Việt Nam to continue playing a crucial role in promoting economic integration, fostering innovation and strengthening regional cooperation on key issues like climate change, sustainable development and a digital economy.
In conclusion, the ASEAN Future Forum 2025 provides a timely opportunity for us to reflect collectively on the challenges and opportunities facing our region. By embracing our core principles, strengthening our institutions and working together in a spirit of solidarity, unity and cooperation, we can successfully navigate the complexities of the 21st century.
The ASEAN Future Forum, as its name suggests, holds the potential to significantly shape the ASEAN of tomorrow. The future of ASEAN is not predetermined. It is one that we must actively shape – a future forged in unity and resilience, reflecting our shared aspirations for peace and prosperity for the peoples of ASEAN. VNS
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