ASEAN leaders adopt Declaration defining new chapter of regional integration

This marks a milestone for ASEAN as it embarks on a new chapter in its Community-building process for the next 20 years, towards a resilient, dynamic and people-centered ASEAN.

Addressing the signing ceremony, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the current ASEAN Chair, recalled that in 1967, the ASEAN founding Member States' pledge to promoting friendship, cohesion and cooperation to ensure peace, freedom and prosperity in the region.

The signing of the Kuala Lumpur Declaration renews the aforesaid promise, not as a tribute to the past but as a living covenant with the future, said Anwar.

He went on to say that the best way to predict the future is to create it and that is what ASEAN has sought to do through decades of steady efforts, shared stewardship and strategic vision.

The process of building ASEAN Community Vision 2045 was initiated in 2020 when Viet Nam assumed the ASEAN Chairmanship in order to help the bloc confidently enters a new period of development.

ASEAN Member States shall implement, through ASEAN organs and bodies, the Declaration 2045 in a timely and effective manner, and ensure seamless coordination across pillars and sectors of the identified cross-pillar and cross-sectoral strategic measures.

ASEAN Member States encourage other relevant stakeholders to support and contribute to the implementation of this Declaration.

The bloc will enhance its institutional capacity and effectiveness and strengthen the ASEAN Secretariat, to advance the implementation of the Declaration.

ASEAN Ministers and respective ASEAN organs and bodies shall be tasked to mobilized resources from the Member States and external resources to implement the Declaration.

The same day, Prime Minister Pham attended the second ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council Summit and the ASEAN and the inaugural ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council-China Summit./.