Kuala lumpur: As the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Kuala Lumpur draw global attention, ASEAN's developing member states are poised to bring a distinct narrative to the discussions.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, for years, ASEAN heavyweights have traditionally dominated the meetings, with conventional topics ranging from commerce to tariffs and regional security. This year, however, the summit is expected to take on a more inclusive tone, as emerging economies such as Cambodia, Laos, and Timor-Leste-an observer state awaiting full membership-each facing a gamut of socio-economic challenges, seek to have their voices heard in Kuala Lumpur.
Small states encounter increasingly complex challenges shaped by great power rivalries, transnational threats, and global uncertainties. Issues such as climate change, cyber insecurity, economic vulnerability, and strategic dependency test the resilience of smaller nations. Dr. Kin Phea, Director General of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia, emphasized the importance of these issues at the 'Small State Foreign Policy: Peaceful and Preventive Diplomacy' forum in Phnom Penh.
From the magnificent beaches of Timor-Leste to the stunning landscapes of Laos and the tourist-friendly charm of Cambodia, small states share diverse predicaments. Climate change, energy and food security, natural disasters, the protection of women and children in volatile situations, and the wealth gap continue to afflict small nations. ASEAN policymakers will need to shift their focus towards broader, people-centered issues while addressing other regional and global challenges.
Protecting the Mekong River, which flows through Cambodia and Laos, is crucial for nearly 70 million people who rely on it for their livelihoods. However, the construction of upstream hydropower dams, deforestation, and sand mining could destroy its rich marine resources and harm rural communities, warn environmental experts.
Cambodia faces new challenges, including border conflicts with Thailand, international scam centers, and rising temperatures due to climate change that can impact the health of millions of its farmers. Neighboring Laos, home to six million people, is recovering from several tropical storms that have devastated farmland, houses, and infrastructure. Scam centers, human trafficking, national debt, and high inflation also trouble the nation.
A glaring problem is in the education sector in Laos. The Lao government has had to deploy about 2,000 soldiers to rural schools this year due to a shortage of professional educators. Teachers are shying away from the profession due to poor wages and limited career growth, reported the Laotian Times.
Timor-Leste faces issues like flooding and drought that affect agricultural production and, eventually, the economy that supports its 1.4 million population. With almost 75 percent of the country's population being rural-based and relying on agriculture for livelihood, the impact is significant.
Professor Joao Soares Martins, Rector of the National University of Timor Lorosa'e (UNTL), highlighted the inadequacy of current mitigation and risk reduction efforts. He emphasized the importance of ASEAN working hand in hand and supporting each other, with big countries helping the small ones. He pointed out that small countries like Singapore and Brunei are examples of successful economic and political performance within ASEAN.
The rising digital divide, technology scarcity, and the deepening gap between the haves and have-nots are stark realities rattling some nations in Southeast Asia. Associate Professor Dr. Rahul Mishra from the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, stressed the importance of ASEAN collaborating more comprehensively in addressing these transnational challenges, especially in the context of the digital revolution.