Reflecting on ASEAN’s Contributions to the Region and the World

Louie Dane C. Merced

Foreign Service Institute

Outline

• Partnering for Change• Attaining peace and stability in Southeast Asia

• Facilitating national and regional economic development

• Improving the lives of the peoples in the region

• Engaging the World• Facilitating regional dialogue and cooperation

• Conclusion

The story of ASEAN is captured by the 2017 theme “Partnering for Change, Engaging the World”. For the past 50 years, ASEAN has brought positive changes to

the peoples of Southeast Asia and has actively contributed to regional and global peace and stability.

BANGKOK DECLARATION

1ST ASEAN

SUMMIT

LAOS

MYANMAR

TREATY OF AMITYAND COOPERATION

(TAC)

ASEAN FTA (AFTA)

ARF

VIETNAM

BRUNEI

Cebu Declaration

HUA HINDECLARATION

CAMBODIA

DOC

BALICONCORD II

MASTER PLAN OF ASEAN CONNECTIVITY (MPAC)

BALI CONCORD III

ASEAN COMMUNITY 2015

ONE VISION, ONE IDENTITY, ONE COMMUNITY

•Attaining peace and stability in Southeast Asia

• General absence of an armed conflict in Southeast Asia as ASEAN’s most important contribution

• Role of ASEAN principles and the ASEAN Way

• ASEAN Member States’ history of resolving disputes peacefully and with respect for the rule of law

• Facilitating national and regional economic development

• The absence of armed conflict has provided an environment conducive to economic growth and development

• ASEAN economic integration has opened opportunities and has also allowed other members to catch up and become connected to the regional and global economy.

• Improving the lives of the peoples of the region

• ASEAN as a people-oriented and people-centered region that puts the lives and welfare of the peoples as a priority.

• The ASEAN Community Vision and Blueprints encourage Member States to adopt national policies and programs toward the attainment of regional objectives and commitments

• ASEAN facilitates capacity building and technical assistance for Member States

•Facilitator of regional dialogue and cooperation

• ASEAN has managed to engage all regional players through a web of bilateral and multilateral mechanisms

• ASEAN as a ‘driving force’ of regionalism by encouraging external powers to subscribe to the same ASEAN norms and principles

Brunei

Cambodia

Indonesia

Lao PDR

Malaysia

Myanmar

Philippines

Singapore

Thailand

Viet Nam

1. Australia

2. China

3. India

4. Japan

5. New Zealand

6. ROK

7. Russia

8. USA

East Asia Summit (10+ 8)

1. Australia

2. Canada

3. China

4. EU

5. India

6. Japan

7. New

Zealand

8. ROK

9. Russia

10. USA

ASEAN Plus One

(10 Dialogue Partners)

1. China

2. Japan

3. ROK

ASEAN

ASEAN + 3

ASEAN Regional ForumASEAN Regional ForumASEAN Regional ForumASEAN Regional Forum

(27 Member (27 Member (27 Member (27 Member States)States)States)States)

1. Brunei

2. Cambodia

3. Indonesia

4. Lao PDR

5. Malaysia

6. Myanmar

7. Philippines

8. Singapore

9. Thailand

10. Viet Nam

11. Australia

12. Bangladesh

13. Canada

14. China

15. DPRK

16. EU

17. India

18. Japan

19. Mongolia

20. New Zealand

21. Pakistan

22. Papua New Guinea

23. ROK

24. Russia

25. Sri Lanka

26 Timor-Leste

27. USA

• Coping with the evolving regional security architecture

• Responding to non-traditional security concerns vis-à-vis ASEAN Way

• Institutionalization: form over substance?

• Addressing bilateral tensions

• Building national resilience and addressing development gaps

• Building an ASEAN identity: less top-down approach

Challenges

A retrospect of ASEAN’s journey in the past five decades reflects its positive contributions to the region and to its people. However, the next phase

of ASEAN’s narrative is about building on the successes, addressing and learning from

shortcomings, and becoming even more proactive and united in the face of new regional and global

developments.

FSI Philippines

@FSIPhilippines

www.fsi.gov.ph

Foreign Service Institute

Thank you!