The 43rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit was held in Jakarta, Indonesia, between September 5 and 7, 2023. The theme of the summit was ‘ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth’. The summit was chaired by Joko Widodo, the President of the Republic of Indonesia, and was convened according to the ASEAN charter.
Key Outcomes of the Summit
ASEAN Blue Economy Framework
Blue Economy for ASEAN refers to a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive use, governance, management and conservation of oceans, seas, as well as marine and coastal resources and ecosystems for economic growth across various sectors. It is an integrated, holistic, cross-sectoral, and cross-stakeholder approach that creates value-added and value-chain of resources from oceans, seas, and fresh water in an inclusive and sustainable way. ASEAN has made Blue Economy the new engine for ASEAN’s future economic growth. The Economy covers upstream-downstream sectors, serving as an accelerator of the conventional marine sector such as fisheries, aquaculture, fish-only processing, and tourism. It is a catalyst for emerging sectors such as renewable energy, biotechnology, and marine and freshwater-based research and education as well as other emerging sectors from aquatic resources.
The ASEAN Blue Economy Framework reiterated its responsibility of regional cooperation on the Blue Economy. It has also committed to aiding the ASEAN community’s Vision 2025, ASEAN Carbon Neutrality Strategy, and ASEAN Regional Action Plan to fight against marine debris in the ASEAN member states, while aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 and other international commitments. To achieve this, the strategy would include emphasis in key areas, such as (i) defining the Blue Economy’s fields of application; (ii) increasing the knowledge of Blue potential and associated constraints; (iii) supporting marine spatial planning; (iv) ensuring effective communication among ASEAN member states for recognition of Blue development projects; (v) developing and encouraging sustainable blue financing mechanisms; and (vi) stimulating traditional and emerging Blue Economy sectoral growth.
Disability-Inclusive Development and Partnership for a Resilient ASEAN Community
The leaders accepted the UN agenda for SDG 2030, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the ASEAN region. They pledged to respect, protect, fulfil, promote, and enforce the rights of persons with disability according to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In the Jakarta Declaration, the leaders stated that they would design an action plan to accelerate the implementation of the Incheon Strategy by declaring the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities from 2023–32.
Gender Equality and Family Development, and Human Rights Dialogue
The leaders underscored the need for a corresponding association between men and women in all aspects in line with the values of mutual respect and social harmony. For this, ASEAN would engage sectoral bodies in the three ASEAN Community Pillars the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC), the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), and the ASEAN Socio-cultural Community (ASCC)-along with women’s organisations, civil society organisations, academic institutions, private sector, etc., for strengthening collaboration on the implementation of the Declaration, the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Women (AMMW) with the support of the ASEAN Committee on Women (ACW). ASEAN would also mobilise resources for the same and perform systematic review of the implementation.
ASEAN member states committed themselves to following the principles of democracy, the rule of law and good governance, respect and protection of human rights and fundamental freedom. To this, they declared to encourage culture of open and constructive dialogue for developing deeper understanding of human rights issues and challenges in ASEAN.
Strengthening Food Security and Nutrition in Response to Crises
The ASEAN member states took into account the global call for preventing the worsening situation of global food and nutrition security due to devastating effects of climate change, natural disasters, pandemic, and increasing geopolitical tensions. They committed to taking rapid actions on food security and nutrition in response to crises. Further, they committed to strengthening preparedness for long-term resilience and sustainability of agri-food systems. For this, the ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF) would collaborate with the ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEMs), ASEAN Transport Ministers (ATMs) and other relevant ASEAN ministries for implementing this Declaration.
Climate Change and Sustainable Resilience
The ASEAN leaders committed to achieving the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement goals during the 28th session of the Conference of Parties (COP-28) to the UNFCCC. They pledged to strengthen the 2030 targets in their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) by the end of 2023. The leaders called for response on their long-term green house gas (GHG) emissions development strategies, while engaging actively in the Sharm El-Sheikh Mitigation Ambition and Implementation Programme. They also urged the developed nations to provide more financial, technological, and capacity support to ASEAN member states.
There has been escalating uncertainty and complexity of the disaster risk landscape in the region. ASEAN had committed to supporting and accelerating the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR), the SDGs, the UNFCCC, the Paris Agreement, and the Asia-Pacific Action Plan 2021–24.
Early Childhood Care and Education in Southeast Asia
Young children of today would grow up as adults in a very different world which would be challenged by the impacts of climate change, environmental degradation, social, and economic disparities, etc. This calls for transformed early childhood care and education (ECCE) for helping the children and their families gain the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed for meeting the challenges. The ASEAN member states have collectively taken many initiatives to accelerate children’s access and participation in high-quality inclusive ECCE. The leaders pledged to develop a roadmap for the implementation of this Declaration through concrete activities and actions.
Epicentrum of Growth (ASEAN Concord IV) and ASEAN as an Epicentrum of Growth
Recalling the Declarations of ASEAN Concord, I and II, and Bali Concord III and expressing satisfaction with the overall progress achieved so far, the ASEAN members called for greater collective work for the continued success of ASEAN community building efforts. ASEAN member states adopted various programmes of action to ensure that ASEAN matters to its people and has always remained as an epicentre of growth in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.
The leaders recalled the theme of ASEAN 2023 Summit, ‘Epicentrum of Growth’, and underscored its commitment to ensuring its continued relevance, resilience, effectiveness, and responsiveness to future global challenges. For this, the leaders committed to adopting measures to strengthen ASEAN resilience against future shocks, leverage new growth drivers, and prepare nations towards a forward-looking, future-proofed ASEAN.
Digital Economy Framework Agreement
The leaders agreed for the development of a modern, comprehensive, and coherent digital transformation strategy towards ASEAN Digital Economy. This would lead to seamless and secure flow of goods and services, with data being underpinned by enabling rules, regulations, infrastructure, and talent. The leaders welcomed the launch of ASEAN digital economy framework agreement (DEFA) negotiations in 2023 and expected that it would be completed by the end of 2025.
ASEAN-China Joint Statement
Recognising that agriculture is a fundamental sector which bears upon food security, social stability, economic prosperity, and ecological conservation, the member states of the ASEAN and the People’s Republic of China issued a joint statement on deepening agricultural cooperation. The summit called for deepening mutually beneficial agricultural cooperation with new visions, approaches, and measures. The leaders committed to making agriculture a new growth engine of ASEAN-China cooperation. This ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership would lead to the realisation of SDG 2030.
Realising China’s active efforts for the promotion of closer ASEAN-China cooperation, the ASEAN member nations agreed to deepen the ASEAN-China comprehensive strategic partnership and work for common and sustainable development for the prosperity of the region. It also agreed to enhance maritime cooperation, implementation of Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) 2025 and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to deepen regional connectivity, attain UN SDG 2030, as well as, economic and other areas of cooperation.
ASEAN-China and Japan-Korea on Developing Electric Vehicle Ecosystem
A joint declaration by ASEAN plus three leaders was pronounced in the presence of ASEAN, China, Japan, and Korea on the development of regional electric vehicle ecosystem. This has been the result of ASEAN’s efforts to reduce carbon/GIG emissions in transport sector.
Additionally, Joint Statement of the ASEAN-Republic of Korea summit on Cooperation on the ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific; ASEAN-US Leaders’ Statement on the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific; Joint Statement on the Establishment of the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership; Joint Leaders’ Statement on ASEAN-Canada Strategic Partnership; ASEAN-Canada Joint Leaders’ Statement on Strengthening Food Security and Nutrition in Response to Crises and ASEAN-Australia Joint Leaders’ Statement on Strengthening Food Security, and Nutrition in Response to Crises were also pronounced during the summit.
India on ASEAN Summit 2023
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the 20th ASEAN-India Summit in Jakarta on September 7, 2023. He held detailed discussions with the ASEAN partners on further strengthening of ASEAN-India comprehensive strategic partnership and also drafting its way forward. He reiterated ASEAN centrality in the Indo-Pacific and highlighted teamwork between India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) and ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP). India stressed the need for completing the review of ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) in a specific target date.
The prime minister presented a 12-point proposal for strengthening India-ASEAN cooperation. It included establishment of multi-modal connectivity and economic corridor linking South-East Asia-India-West Asia-Europe; digital transformation, trade and economic engagement, addressing contemporary challenges, people-to-people contacts; deepening strategic engagement; called for collectively raising the issues being faced by Global South in multilateral fora, invited ASEAN for working together on Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) mission, among others. India further reiterated its call for collective fight against terrorism, terror financing, and cyber-disinformation.
Two joint statements on maritime cooperation and food security were also adopted.
Both ASEAN and India share land and maritime borders. Further, ASEAN and India together share seven per cent of the world’s GDP and constitute 26 per cent of the world’s population. Post COVID-19 pandemic, India and ASEAN have been sharing good relations. In 2023, the bilateral trade between India and ASEAN crossed US$ 150 billion. India also proposed a series of physical and digital connectivity projects with ASEAN, such as Kaladan Multi-Modal Transport Project, Trilateral Highway, digital payment arrangement with Singapore, etc. Additionally, ASEAN has shown interest in India’s UPI, as well as in the areas of cooperation such as science and technology, climate change, and health with India.
About ASEAN
On August 8, 1967, the foreign ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand met in Bangkok to settle down some disputes among Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. It eventually led to the signing of the ‘ASEAN Declaration’. The ASEAN Declaration conveyed the aspiration to further regional cooperation. It included cooperation in the economic, social, cultural, technical, educational, and other fields. It also proposed the promotion of regional peace and stability and adherence to the principles of the UN Charter. It further stated that it would be open for participation by all States in the Southeast Asian region subscribing to its aims, principles, and purposes.
At present, ASEAN consists of 10 states in the Southeast Asia, and is one of the most successful inter-governmental organisations in the developing world. The other five members are Brunei Darussalam, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam. ASEAN has an anthem and they have summits twice a year with a rotating chairmanship.
ASEAN is central to India’s Act East Policy which focuses on extended neighbourhood in Asia-Pacific region. India is a part of the ASEAN Plus Six grouping. The other six countries outside ASEAN include China, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, and India.
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