Kuala Lumpur: Southeast Asian leaders today adopted the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future, setting a foundation to guide the region's development and cooperation over the next two decades.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the declaration, endorsed during the 46th ASEAN Summit here, represents a milestone in the bloc's commitment to building a more resilient, innovative, dynamic, and people-centred regional community. It succeeds the current ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together vision adopted in 2015.
The Declaration reaffirms ASEAN member states' collective resolve to enhance regional unity, promote inclusive and sustainable development, and strengthen institutional capacity to respond effectively to existing and future megatrends. It envisions ASEAN as the epicentre of growth in the Indo-Pacific region, emphasizing regional solidarity, a shared identity, and equitable access to economic opportunities among its people.
The Declaration highlights the importance of enhancing ASEAN's resilience and promoting collective, efficient, and innovative responses to regional and global challenges and future shocks. These measures aim to secure the future of ASEAN and its peoples.
Among the key decisions is the formal adoption of the ASEAN Community Vision (ACV) 2045 and its accompanying strategic plans across four pillars: Political-Security, Economic, Socio-Cultural, and Connectivity. The leaders agreed that these elements shall comprise the ASEAN 2045 framework.
Further, the leaders reiterated their commitment to enhancing ASEAN's institutional capacity and effectiveness, including reforms to boost the capacity of the ASEAN Secretariat. They also agreed to adopt the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Work Plan V (2026-2030) at the 47th ASEAN Summit.
ASEAN ministers and respective ASEAN bodies, supported by the ASEAN Secretary-General and the ASEAN Secretariat, have been tasked with carrying out communication activities and regularly monitoring implementation progress. The Secretary-General will report annually to the ASEAN Summit, and a mid-term review of the ASEAN 2045 agenda will be conducted to ensure responsiveness to evolving regional and global developments.
The Kuala Lumpur Declaration 2045 builds on previous landmark agreements, including the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together (2015), Ha Noi Declaration (2020), the Phnom Penh Connectivity Agenda (2022), the Labuan Bajo Leaders' Statement (2023), and the Vientiane Declaration on the Development of the Strategic Plans (2024).
The Declaration underscores ASEAN's continued commitment to uphold the principles enshrined in the ASEAN Charter, international law, and the United Nations Charter. The 46th ASEAN Summit, held under Malaysia's 2025 Chairmanship theme 'Inclusivity and Sustainability', gathers leaders from member states to discuss regional issues and map out the bloc's future direction.
Also scheduled for tomorrow are the 2nd ASEAN-GCC Summit and the ASEAN-GCC-China Summit, reflecting ASEAN's efforts to strengthen regional and international cooperation.