Second ASEAN Future Forum wraps up successfully

This year's forum attracted over 600 in-person participants, including more than 230 foreign delegates, an increase of more than 2.5 times compared to 2024.

Notably, the forum featured the presence of foreign leaders, including Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, ASEAN Chair Dato' Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim, New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, and Secretary-General of ASEAN Kao Kim Hourn.

The Prime Minister of Thailand, the President of the European Commission, and the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations sent video messages to the forum.

More than 10 Deputy Prime Ministers and Ministers from various countries attended or sent video messages to the event. The forum also welcomed 160 diplomatic delegates, including 40 ambassadors, along with 230 domestic participants.

Delegates discussed issues ranging from major global trends and the role of women in peacebuilding to a reassessment of ASEAN’s foundational principles and the governance of emerging technologies.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son noted that ASEAN's development should rely on science and technology as core tools to drive the entire region forward.

Bui emphasized the need to innovate approach to reaffirn ASEAN's central role in the regional architecture and managing relations with external partners, including major powers.

The active participation and fresh perspectives of all delegates, including many young scholars, enriched the discussions and reflected the international community's deep interest in ASEAN's future development path, he underlined.

The AFF has concluded successfully and meaningfully. This forum will truly become a leading incubator for innovative ideas shaping the region's future, noted the Vietnamese official./.