The adoption of the Asean Community Vision 2045 gives the region’s stakeholders and partners a clear direction of the way Asean is moving forward, says the association's secretary-general Dr Kao Kim Hourn.
In an interview with The Star on Sunday (May 25), Kao said the vision aims to build strong, trusted partnerships and outline Asean’s future as a unified community.
Commenting on the inaugural Asean-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)-China Economic Summit, he highlighted its potential to enhance economic collaboration and commended Malaysia for conceptualising and making the meeting a reality.
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00:00So there were a lot of tourists there yesterday when you were coming in from the airport?
00:02Oh, yes.
00:04ASEAN is coming up with a long-term vision.
00:09How we will be working together among all the countries within ASEAN,
00:18and how we will be able to work with our external partners.
00:23So this ASEAN Community Vision 2045 could be considered a strategic roadmap,
00:28it could be a strategic guide, how ASEAN will charter in the future.
00:39And with the adoption of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045,
00:45so let me open a new chapter in ASEAN Community Building.
00:49But these strategic plans, the four strategic plans,
00:52will not be implemented until next year,
00:55meaning that we will continue to finish up the implementation of the current blueprints.
01:03And of course, now we are undertaking the review,
01:07what we call the end-term review of the blueprints,
01:12so that we get some lessons learned,
01:14and then of course when we start to implement the strategic plans,
01:18we will have even a better idea.
01:22So I want to come back that this is very bold,
01:26very strategic,
01:28very visionary
01:28of ASEAN leaders
01:32that they are able to come up with this 20-year vision
01:37at a time when there is so much uncertainty,
01:43global uncertainty,
01:44at a time when we see the shifts,
01:49the shifting in economic and political dynamics at the global level.
01:57But I think also to reflect to show that ASEAN has the confidence
02:04in the future and chart its own course,
02:07that ASEAN is not reactive,
02:10ASEAN is not taking a fragmented approach,
02:16but rather a peaceful approach,
02:19but rather a very strategic, comprehensive approach in the way leading this region into the future.
02:29At the same time, ASEAN is inviting the external partners,
02:34particularly the dialogue partners,
02:37the sector dialogue partners, and development partners,
02:40and other external partners to work closely with ASEAN.
02:43Because ASEAN,
02:46we have to believe in ourselves and what we do.
02:49And that's what the leaders are trying to do,
02:51is that continue to assert the ASEAN centrality,
02:58and to assert the role of ASEAN as the key stabilizing force in the region,
03:08through the ASEAN-led mechanisms,
03:10and to project this positive role that ASEAN has been playing over the years,
03:16to make sure that the region remains peaceful,
03:19stable, and secure,
03:21so that we prioritize,
03:23continue to prioritize,
03:25prosperity,
03:26as a top priority of ASEAN on the agenda.
03:31In other words,
03:32this prosperity agenda is what we focus on,
03:33on the interests of our people in the region.
03:34So, that's why I think our leaders are meeting this time at the critical juncture,
03:38to discuss the impact of the current global dynamics, particularly economic dynamics,
03:42that's right now very confusing, and very disruptive, and I think it's important that ASEAN come together,
03:49with all the leaders who will be present, and they will have collective wisdom, and collective leadership,
03:56under the chairmanship of Malaysia.
03:57Dr. Kao, what are your expectations here as Secretary General, on the KL Declaration of the ASEAN Community Division,
03:59which will be signed tomorrow?
04:00Dr. Kao, what are your expectations here as Secretary General, on the KL Declaration of the ASEAN Community Division,
04:04which will be signed tomorrow?
04:06Dr. Kao, what are your expectations
04:26Well, my reaction, of course, would be…
04:31I am truly pleased with the work that finally has produced the concrete result, concrete outcome, with the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and 432 plans.
04:46And of course the leaders will be adopting the KL, the Kuala Lumpur Declaration.
04:51After, you know, the work by all the ASEAN members, particularly Malaysia has been leading this as the permanent shepherd, the co-chair of the whole process.
05:03So I think this work is very, very significant in terms of giving a clear direction where ASEAN should be heading into the future.
05:18So I think this is like a major compass for ASEAN.
05:23You know, so that all ASEAN states, all ASEAN pillars and sectoral bodies will have to follow.
05:33So it's not just one country but all countries and all the different parts of ASEAN will have to work together to make sure that we implement the various parts of these
05:47strategic goals, strategic measures that outline in the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
05:57So I am pleased that this year we are able to have this.
06:03Of course the leaders will be adopting.
06:05And moving forward is that the priority will focus on the implementation and how this implementation will benefit ASEAN member states, ASEAN communities and ASEAN people.
06:21And of course our partners within ASEAN and of course our external partners as well.
06:27You mentioned just now that the ASEAN community vision here would be akin to a compass and how ASEAN can move forward.
06:35What direction do you see ASEAN moving towards?
06:37Like what kind of vision do you envision there with the adoption of this?
06:41Well I think the goal is to become a stronger, more united, more integrated community with the people-centred, people-oriented direction.
06:55Meaning that ASEAN is all about people.
06:59So what's important is that how we address all of these key issues coming up now.
07:05Energy transition, digital transformation, impact climate change, emerging technologies and AIs, all of this.
07:14So it's important that we have to work together among all the member states.
07:19But of course how we bring all the different stakeholders cut across, you know, political security, economic, social culture,
07:28pillars for example, how they work together.
07:31Because a lot of things we have to be mindful of the fact that we need to work together,
07:35particularly in terms of collaboration and coordination.
07:38The same thing, for example, what we're talking about now is to, you know,
07:46produce a positive long-term impact.
07:49So, under the theme again, inclusivity and sustainability.
07:54These two words meaning that, number one, we should not leave anyone behind or left out.
08:00Number two, we have talked about the future generations.
08:05Sustainability, meaning that what we will do.
08:09It cannot be only for the present generation, but for the future generations as well.
08:15So I think this is the community that I've talked about, being dynamic, being innovative, being resilient.
08:25And of course what we're looking is to really make sure that ASEAN continues to move in the direction
08:32that will build up a community for the people.
08:37And of course through generations to come.
08:40Because I think in ASEAN right now, the population growth will continue until 2038.
08:47So the youth is not peaking yet until 2038.
08:50So the population will continue to grow.
08:52And we have to be able to respond.
08:55So meaning that ASEAN has become more adaptive, more responsive to the needs and interests of our people.
09:01Is there a mechanism on how the implementation will be measured?
09:05Yes.
09:06Again, like what I mentioned, there are four strategic plans.
09:15Each strategic plan, they have their own mechanism.
09:18That the main one, of course, they have many other sub-mechanism.
09:22So basically we're looking at the sectoral barriers that will be the ones that will implement the strategic
09:32measures under their respective sectoral barriers.
09:37And of course there will be a lot of coordination also because there are certain strategic measures
09:42that will be more than within one pillar or within one sector.
09:47There are more than that.
09:48So they have to coordinate a lot.
09:50At the same time, we'll have a bullet in what we call the review mechanism.
09:55So it will be a regular review to make sure that this Vision 2045 and the four strategic plans will be evolving.
10:07And will be dynamic in the sense that it will be adaptive, responsive, and of course to make sure that this is not static.
10:17But rather it will be responding to the evolving situation.
10:22So meaning the overall environment, be it economic, social, cultural, political security.
10:28So again, I think ASEAN is with 58 years of history, it had been through so much already of all the challenges.
10:42Right?
10:43Within the region, the challenges, the impact from outside the region as well.
10:48So I think we have the generational leadership from the beginning until now.
10:54So ASEAN is continuing to evolve in that direction.
10:57I think with this 20 year vision, I think it's a clear direction.
11:02I think we're telling all the stakeholders where we're heading, but at the same time our partners.
11:11So they don't guess what direction we take or what we're going to do.
11:16So I think we create a strong, more trusted partnership through this open, inclusive process.
11:24So, thank you.