GIVEN the Philippine Chairmanship of Asean in 2017 and the 50th Anniversary of Asean on August 8, 2017, it may be worthwhile to look at key points of the Asean Community Vision 2025, signed by the 10 Leaders of Asean on November 22, 2015, in Kuala Lumpur on the occasion of the 27th Asean Summit:
We, the heads of state/government representing the peoples of the member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (hereinafter referred to as Asean), gather here on Wednesday at the 27th Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to celebrate the formal establishment of the Asean Community 2015 and to chart the Asean Community Vision 2025.
We recall the Asean vision of an integrated, peaceful and stable community with shared prosperity built upon the aspirations of and commitment to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, the Asean Vision 2020, the Declaration of Asean Concord II, the Asean Charter, the Roadmap for an Asean Community (2009-2015) and the Bali Declaration on Asean Community in a Global Community of Nations.
We are pleased that the positive progress made since 2009 in implementing the Roadmap for an Asean Community comprising the Asean Political-Security Community, Asean Economic Community and Asean Socio-Cultural Community Blueprints, as well as the Initiative for Asean Integration (IAI) Strategic Framework and the IAI Work Plan II (2009-2015) and the Master Plan on Asean Connectivity has led us to another important milestone in Asean development, namely, the formal establishment of the Asean Community 2015.
We resolve to consolidate our community, building upon and deepening the integration process to realize a rules-based, people-oriented, people-centred Asean community, where our peoples enjoy human rights and fundamental freedoms, higher quality of life and the benefits of community-building, reinforcing our sense of togetherness and common identity, guided by the purposes and principles of the Asean Charter.
We envision a peaceful, stable and resilient community with enhanced capacity to respond effectively to challenges, and Asean as an outward-looking region within a global community of nations, while maintaining Asean centrality. We also envision vibrant, sustainable and highly integrated economies, enhanced Asean connectivity, as well as strengthened efforts in narrowing the development gap, including through the IAI. We further envision Asean empowered with capabilities, to seize opportunities and address challenges in the coming decade.
We underline the complementarity of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with Asean community-building efforts to uplift the standards of living of our peoples. Asean 2025: Forging Ahead Together 14 Asean Political-Security Community.
Our Asean Political-Security Community by 2025 shall be a united, inclusive and resilient community. Our peoples shall live in a safe, harmonious and secure environment, embrace the values of tolerance and moderation, as well as uphold Asean fundamental principles, shared values and norms. Asean shall remain cohesive, responsive and relevant in addressing challenges to regional peace and security, as well as play a central role in shaping the evolving regional architecture, while deepening our engagement with external parties and contributing collectively to global peace, security and stability.
Moving forward
IN order to achieve our Asean Community Vision 2025, we shall realize a community with enhanced institutional capacity through improved Asean work processes and coordination, increased effectiveness and efficiency in the work of Asean organs and bodies, including a strengthened Asean Secretariat. We shall also realize a community with increased Asean institutional presence at the national, regional and international levels.
We, therefore, task the Asean Community Councils to fully and effectively implement the commitment contained in the Asean 2025: Forging Ahead Together and to submit their reports to the Asean Summit, in accordance with the established procedure.
We pledge to our peoples our resolve to realize a rules-based, people-oriented, people-centred Asean of “One Vision, One Identity, One Community”.