ASEAN Colloquium explores regional cooperation, future priorities
AMMAN — A colloquium titled 'The ASEAN Journey: Background, Reflections, and Priorities' took place on Wednesday at the Arab Thought Forum, jointly organised by the ASEAN Committee in Amman and the Arab Thought Forum.
The event aimed to promote ASEAN's role and efforts in maintaining peace, stability, and prosperity in the Southeast Asia Region, while also provided insights into the key priorities and deliverables of Malaysia's Chairmanship.
The speakers included Ade Padmo Sarwono, Ambassador of Indonesia and Mohamad Nasri Bin Abdul Rahman, Ambassador of Malaysia. Additional contributions came from Supark Prongthura, Ambassador of Thailand, Wilfredo C. Santos, Ambassador of the Philippines and Nurunnajibah Adanaan, Charge d'Affaires of Brunei Darussalam.
Founded in 1967 by Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore, ASEAN has since expanded to include Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia.
Its core objectives are to foster economic growth, social progress, and cultural development through enhanced trade and investment among member states, strengthen regional peace and stability by promoting unity and ASEAN centrality, encourage regional collaboration and mutual assistance by fostering a culture of sustainability in all dimensions, support the study of Southeast Asia, and enhance cooperation with other regional and international organisations.
Under Malaysia's chairmanship in 2025, the theme 'Inclusivity and Sustainability' was officially unveiled by the Malaysia prime minister during the closing ceremony of the 44th and 45th ASEAN summits in October 2024 in Vientiane, Laos.
Malaysia's leadership aims to empower society through social and economic justice while ensuring long-term sustainability and well-being.
ASEAN faces challenges including geostrategic shifts, conflicts in Myanmar and the South China Sea, climate change, development gaps, and other emerging global trends.
Moving forward, ASEAN seeks to recalibrate its priorities to remain resilient, dynamic, and responsive, ensuring that the people remain at the centre of the regional integration process.
ASEAN has also expressed "grave concern" over the war in Gaza and the Middle East, condemning attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure. The organisation welcomed the ceasefire agreement in Gaza and urged its immediate and comprehensive implementation.
ASEAN called for the unconditional release of all hostages, especially ASEAN nationals, and urged all parties to work towards a peaceful resolution in pursuit of a two-state solution.
ASEAN also emphasised the need to intensify humanitarian assistance, including restoring UNRWA's role in supporting those in need.
As Malaysia leads ASEAN in 2025, its priorities "must be transformative and impactful," ensuring that inclusivity, innovation, and sustainability remain central to the ASEAN Community agenda.
A whole-of-government approach is needed to coordinate national efforts across ASEAN's three pillars of cooperation. Collaboration efforts with ASEAN partners should be explored and identified in advance to strengthen the organisation's global engagement and regional leadership.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Jordan Times
07-08-2025
- Jordan Times
Thailand and Cambodia agree to extend peace pact
KUALA LUMPUR —Thailand and Cambodia agreed Thursday to extend a shaky ceasefire deal that followed five days of deadly hostilities along their border last month. At least 43 people were killed in the conflict that ended last Tuesday, after a long-standing dispute over border temples boiled over into violence. A truce was brokered by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim -- chair of the ASEAN regional bloc -- after cajoling by US President Donald Trump and a team of Chinese mediators. The deal dictated a ceasefire, followed by a meeting of rival regional commanders, before defence officials held three days of talks in Kuala Lumpur that concluded with a joint statement on Thursday. "Both sides agree to a ceasefire involving all types of weapons, including attacks on civilians and civilian objects and military objectives of either side, in all cases and all areas," it said. "This agreement must not be violated under any circumstances." In the first days of the truce, both Thailand and Cambodia accused each other of breaching the deal with limited skirmishes along their shared 800-kilometre border, though clashes quickly dropped off. The joint statement signed by Thai Deputy Defence Minister Nattaphon Narkphanit and Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Seiha said they agreed to continue a freeze on border troop movements and patrols. "We are here for a detailed ceasefire arrangement to stop bloodshed and the suffering by soldiers and civilians of both sides," Tea Seiha told reporters at a press conference. "The steps are life-saving measures and lay groundwork for restoring confidence, trust, and normalcy between our two countries." The statement scheduled another meeting within a month and said both sides would also "agree to refrain from disseminating false information or fake news in order to de-escalate tensions". "In order for our discussions today to result in concrete outcomes, both sides needed to show cooperation and sincerity," Natthaphon told reporters. The contested temples are claimed by both nations because of a vague demarcation made by Cambodia's French colonial administrators in 1907. This month's clashes were the deadliest in the region in over a decade and caused more than 300,000 people to flee combat areas on both sides of the border.
Jordan News
05-08-2025
- Jordan News
Japan's Ambassador Attends Launch of Phase Two of UNRWA Leadership Programme in Amman - Jordan News
Japan's Ambassador Attends Launch of Phase Two of UNRWA Leadership Programme in Amman Japan reaffirmed its longstanding partnership with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) during the launch ceremony of the second phase of the Leadership Excellence and Accountability Programme, held Monday in Amman. اضافة اعلان The initiative is implemented by UNRWA in collaboration with the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) and is funded by the Government of Japan. Ambassador of Japan to Jordan, Asari Hideki, attended the event and delivered remarks in which he expressed profound respect for the commitment and resilience of UNRWA staff, who continue to serve Palestinian refugees under highly challenging conditions. He emphasized that UNRWA plays an indispensable role in delivering critical services to refugees and reiterated Japan's unwavering support for the agency's foundational values: integrity, transparency, accountability, and neutrality. The event highlighted the importance of strengthening institutional capacity within UNRWA, particularly among its frontline managers, to ensure the effective and principled delivery of humanitarian services. The programme also aligns with the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda, emphasizing gender-responsive leadership and reinforcing broader efforts to promote governance, accountability, and neutrality within the agency. The Leadership Excellence and Accountability Programme, first launched in 2024, is designed to enhance the skills and performance of UNRWA's operational leaders. The second phase builds on the success of the initial cycle, continuing to promote best practices in operational excellence, accountability, neutrality, and gender sensitivity. Speaking at the ceremony, UNRWA Deputy Commissioner-General Antonia De Meo and Deputy Director for UNRWA Affairs in Jordan Kunal Dhar extended their gratitude to the Government of Japan for its consistent and generous support. They emphasized that the programme exemplifies UNRWA's institutional commitment to strengthening governance, increasing transparency, and advancing the agency's core principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence. (Petra)
Ammon
05-08-2025
- Ammon
Japan's Ambassador: UNRWA plays indispensable role in delivering services to refugees
Ammon News - Japan reaffirmed its longstanding partnership with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) during the launch ceremony of the second phase of the Leadership Excellence and Accountability Programme, held Monday in Amman. The initiative is implemented by UNRWA in collaboration with the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) and is funded by the Government of Japan. Ambassador of Japan to Jordan, Asari Hideki, attended the event and delivered remarks in which he expressed profound respect for the commitment and resilience of UNRWA staff, who continue to serve Palestinian refugees under highly challenging conditions. He emphasized that UNRWA plays an indispensable role in delivering critical services to refugees and reiterated Japan's unwavering support for the agency's foundational values: integrity, transparency, accountability, and neutrality. The event highlighted the importance of strengthening institutional capacity within UNRWA, particularly among its frontline managers, to ensure the effective and principled delivery of humanitarian services. The programme also aligns with the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda, emphasizing gender-responsive leadership and reinforcing broader efforts to promote governance, accountability, and neutrality within the agency. The Leadership Excellence and Accountability Programme, first launched in 2024, is designed to enhance the skills and performance of UNRWA's operational leaders. The second phase builds on the success of the initial cycle, continuing to promote best practices in operational excellence, accountability, neutrality, and gender sensitivity. Speaking at the ceremony, UNRWA Deputy Commissioner-General Antonia De Meo and Deputy Director for UNRWA Affairs in Jordan Kunal Dhar extended their gratitude to the Government of Japan for its consistent and generous support. They emphasized that the programme exemplifies UNRWA's institutional commitment to strengthening governance, increasing transparency, and advancing the agency's core principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence. Petra
