The KL Declaration, signed at the ASEAN Summit, aims to unify the region’s path forward, but questions remain about its effectiveness amid geopolitical and economic challenges, as discussed with ISIS Malaysia’s Thomas Daniel.
00:00The KL Declaration signed and sealed at the ASEAN Summit claims to chart a more unified path forward for the region.
00:08But does it actually deliver what ASEAN needs as a block facing geopolitical fragmentation, economic headwinds and deepening rivalries in its backyard?
00:18We asked ISIS Malaysia Director of Foreign Policy and Security Studies, Thomas Daniel, about this.
00:22There are multiple dimensions to the KL Declaration and indeed other landmark diplomatic declarations or documents of this stature in ASEAN.
00:34So on one hand, it's an important piece of signaling to internal and external stakeholders.
00:41This is not a regular year for ASEAN. It marks the end of its 2025 vision, launched a decade ago in KL, and the beginning of the 2045 community vision,
00:52which is a new plan that lays out all of its future priorities and trajectory as a community for the next two decades.
01:00So the declaration refers to other documents like strategic plans for its political security, economic, social, cultural and connectivity domains within the community.
01:10It's also a major milestone for ASEAN, which Malaysia has now twice shepherded through as chair.
01:18But on the other hand, there is the context and times in which these documents were adopted.
01:24And I think the declaration and its related documents show that ASEAN member states recognize that they need to enhance cooperation with each other,
01:33to reduce barriers of cooperation with each other,
01:35as well as dialogue partners on a range of issues like security, labor, public health, you know, physical and digital connectivity,
01:43sustainable financing, infrastructure development, adaptation to climate change, and so on.
01:48Of course, the proof of the pudding is fundamentally in the eating,
01:52and ASEAN must ensure that they will adhere to what they profess and meaningfully meet the aspirations
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