At the 44th-45th ASEAN Summit last year in Laos, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (the initiator of the AFF) proudly spoke of the success of AFF 2024 and announced that Vietnam would continue to host AFF 2025. "As scheduled," AFF 2025 has generated excitement and anticipation among politicians, experts, and scholars in the region and internationally. The atmosphere of AFF 2024 seems to be repeating itself, perhaps even more vibrant, with international media mentioning it as a noteworthy forum in Hanoi.
With the theme "Building a united, inclusive and resilient ASEAN in a volatile world ," AFF 2025 will be held over two days, February 25-26. This is one of the most important multilateral foreign affairs events hosted by Vietnam in 2025.
The Forum is expected to be attended by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, the President of Timor Leste, the Deputy Prime Minister of Laos, the Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia, and others; bringing together over 500 delegates registered to attend in person, including high-ranking leaders from ASEAN countries and partners; leading experts and scholars from the region and internationally; Ambassadors and senior officials from ASEAN countries and partners, international organizations; representatives of businesses and localities; and a large number of domestic and international journalists.
Self-reliance in the face of change
In today's volatile and unpredictable world, ensuring that the ASEAN "ship" remains firmly steered forward is a major concern for ASEAN leaders. The aspect of "self-reliance" that AFF 2025 aims to emphasize is precisely the shared aspiration and goal of the Association.
The late Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan once emphasized that, deep down, ASEAN has always had two great driving forces: the aspiration for peace, stability, and cooperation for mutual development, and the desire for self-reliance and self-strengthening.
Clearly, through the various stages of the Association's development, its self-reliance, its impartial approach, its independent decision-making and direction-setting without external influence, have helped ASEAN shape its current value and central role. Through mechanisms such as ASEAN+1, ASEAN+3, the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), and the East Asia Summit (EAS), ASEAN has built and maintained a balanced and flexible relationship with its external partners, ensuring stability and facilitating development. All countries support ASEAN's central role and accept the Association's common principles and norms.
AFF 2025 comprises 12 activities, focusing on exchanging and discussing topics directly related to the future of ASEAN, such as: major trends impacting ASEAN and the world; ASEAN's fundamental principles, sub-regional cooperation; governance of emerging technologies; ASEAN's role in fostering cohesion and promoting peace…
However, no one can be certain that the ASEAN "ship" at its 58th anniversary will always have a smooth and peaceful journey ahead. Self-reliance in the present, coupled with thorough preparations for the future, is a constant concern for ASEAN. Most recently, at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat in Malaysia (January 19th), Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son emphasized that ASEAN needs to maintain a balanced and objective approach, enhancing its role and voice in issues related to peace, security, stability, and development in the region and the world.
Sharing his long-term perspective with TG&VN, Kavi Chongkittavorn, a prominent Thai expert on ASEAN in the region, argued that in a multipolar world, ASEAN needs to demonstrate its diplomatic strength based on the principles of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), such as the non-use of force, consensus-based decision-making, and non-interference in each other's internal affairs. 55 countries, representing a quarter of the total number of United Nations members, have signed the TAC, highlighting the treaty's role in maintaining peace and stability.
Furthermore, in the next decade, the ASEAN economy will be the world's fourth largest, contributing to ASEAN's increasing influence on global issues. Therefore, ASEAN-led mechanisms need to be effectively utilized to promote issues of common interest.
Certainly, a resilient ASEAN, strongly promoting its central role, will be a bridge and a destination that multiplies aspirations for peace and development, not only for ASEAN but also for countries in the region and around the world.
Secure your future.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn once pondered: “ASEAN should not only be inward-looking but also outward-looking. However, ASEAN needs to continue strengthening internally even while looking outward.” Unity and inclusive development are key to ASEAN's strength from within, ensuring it holds its future in its own hands. AFF 2025 emphasizes the element of “unity and inclusiveness,” aligning with Malaysia's 2025 Chairmanship theme (Inclusive and Sustainable), and also reflecting the desire to build a more cohesive and inclusive Community, an ASEAN with the resilience and confidence to face all difficulties and challenges.
Surely, only ASEAN unity could have achieved the success it enjoys today. Born nearly six decades ago, surrounded by instability, division, and mistrust, ASEAN has gradually united, fostered growing trust over the years, and given the region a new face.
ASEAN, from an organization with only five members, has now become the common home of 10 Southeast Asian nations, ushering in a new era of regional solidarity and cooperation. The ASEAN Community, formed on December 31, 2015, marked a qualitative leap in ASEAN's development. Together, ASEAN is building a vision for the Community 2025 and then 2045, with the ultimate goal of the development and well-being of all its citizens, ensuring that no one is left behind.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and delegates from ASEAN countries at the opening session of the first ASEAN Future Forum in Hanoi, April 23, 2024. (Photo: Tuan Anh)
Speaking with TG&VN , Ambassador Hoang Anh Tuan, former Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN, stated: “ASEAN’s greatest asset after nearly six decades of formation and development is its solidarity and adaptability. This is not only a core value that has helped ASEAN maintain peace, stability, and promote development in the region, but also the foundation that helps this regional international organization affirm its central position in the regional structure and its standing on the international stage.”
Also as a metaphor for solidarity, in an interview with Dr. Prashanth Parameswaran, editor-in-chief of the ASEAN Wonk Newsletter, just before the AFF 2025, Dr. Nguyen Hung Son, Acting Director of the Diplomatic Academy, likened ASEAN to a "bundle of bamboo," bound together to create lasting strength.
More responsible, more creative
Throughout three decades of ASEAN membership, Vietnam has grown increasingly mature, stronger, and more stable in ASEAN cooperation in particular and international integration in general, with increasingly significant contributions.
Speaking of Vietnam means speaking of a reputable and responsible member of ASEAN and the international community, striving wholeheartedly, cooperating sincerely, trustingly, and making dedicated contributions. Vietnam has received immense value from ASEAN, with a "strategic space" contributing to creating a favorable situation, maintaining a peaceful, secure, stable, and developing environment for the country; ASEAN is a "pillar" for Vietnam to enhance its role and strategic value in relations with partners… In return, it is difficult to list all of Vietnam's contributions to ASEAN in a few lines. Vietnam is always eager to contribute more proactively, flexibly, positively, responsibly, creatively, and effectively to the work of the common home.
The AFF is one such effort. Sharing his thoughts with ASEAN Wonk, Dr. Nguyen Hung Son explained that there are already several Channel 1.5 dialogue mechanisms in the region, such as Shangri-La, the Asia-Pacific Forum, and the Jeju Forum. However, none of them focus entirely on ASEAN and its relationship with partners. Therefore, Vietnam decided to propose the AFF initiative to fill that gap.
The ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) is gradually becoming familiar. Regional and international officials and scholars, when mentioning this name, respond positively with nods of satisfaction. It is believed that AFF will go a long way, shaping a brand with a distinct Vietnamese identity, becoming a cradle of ideas that nurtures the aspirations of all Association members and partners to contribute to the common development of the ASEAN "ship" on every "journey."
“AFF 2024 has successfully launched, laying the foundation for a unique and exclusive ASEAN forum, by ASEAN and for ASEAN, yet open and inclusive, just like ASEAN itself. The Forum organizers expect AFF 2025 to continue its success, beginning to establish the brand and imprint of AFF Hanoi. From 2026 onwards, that brand and imprint will be affirmed and promoted in the region and around the world. In other words, we hope AFF will be similar to the Shangri-La Dialogue, the Munich Security Conference, and other forums in the region.” – Acting Director of the Institute for Strategic Studies, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, Trinh Minh Manh.
Source: https://baoquocte.vn/dien-dan-tuong-lai-asean-cai-ten-dan-quen-304958.html
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