Indonesia urges strengthening ASEAN institutional capacity and effectiveness

Regional peace and stability are important aspects in the cooperative relations of the ASEAN Member Statesas well as with partner countries. Therefore, strengthening ASEAN’s institutional capacity and effectiveness is one of the priority issues of the Indonesian Presidency in 2023.

This issue was also the focus of the Foreign Minister’s discussion during the briefing for the first quarter of the ASEAN Chairmanship in early April 2023. Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said on 29 of abvril in Jakarta.

“Some of the issues to be discussed at the 42nd ASEAN Summit revolve around the issues of strengthening ASEAN institutions, drafting the ASEAN Post 2025 Vision, post-pandemic economic recovery, strengthening of the healthcare architecture in the region, as well as other important issues in the region, such as the progress of 5CP implementation in Myanmar and other developments outside the region,” he said.

The ASEAN economy: when the openness model is the engine of growth

Discussion on this issue, an Indonesian initiative, began in 2022 with the adoption of the Recommendation of the High-Level Task Force on the Post-2025 Vision of the ASEAN Community (HLTF-ACV) for Capacity Building and ASEAN Institutional Effectiveness. This is intended to make ASEAN work more effectively to meet the challenges in the next 20 years.

Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, during the briefing for the first quarter of the ASEAN Chairmanship in early April 2023, has also emphasized reinforcement. “It is important to strengthen ASEAN’s capacity and we want to make ASEAN work more effectively so that it can meet future challenges,” she Retno stated.

Some of the issues to be discussed at the 42nd ASEAN Summit revolve around the themes of strengthening ASEAN institutions.

Regarding the strengthening aspect, the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Strengthening ASEAN Institutional Capacity and Effectiveness, currently under preparation, is expected to be endorsed at the upcoming 42nd ASEAN Summit. The adoption of the Declaration will strengthen and clarify the mandate of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers to follow up on the recommendations prepared by the HLTF.

At the 42nd ASEAN Summit, to be held from May 9 to 11, 2023 in Labuan Bajo, ASEAN Leaders will discuss a number of important issues in order to foster a stronger ASEAN region when it comes to meet the challenges, as well as strengthen ASEAN’s economic resilience. This effort is in line with the Indonesian Chairmanship theme ASEAN Matters: Epicenter of Growth.