From Kuala Lumpur, a 20-year agenda for Southeast Asia

by Joseph Masilamany

The declaration adopted at the ASEAN summit, proposed by current chair Anwar Ibrahim, outlines a series of goals for 2045 aimed at strengthening the role of the regional organisation. A renewed appeal was made to Myanmar to extend the ceasefire and open up space for genuine dialogue. A meeting has been requested with Donald Trump over tariffs. At the same time, trilateral cooperation with China and the Gulf countries is gaining momentum.

Kuala Lumpur (AsiaNews) – Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has hailed the Kuala Lumpur declaration, “ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future”, as a turning point in Southeast Asia’s development path, urging member states to build a future founded on sustainability, inclusivity, and people-centred progress.

Speaking at the signing ceremony during the 46th ASEAN Summit held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Anwar stressed the importance of aligning ASEAN’s vision with the real-life experiences of its nearly 700 million citizens. “It means bridging development gaps, raising living standards, and investing in the human spirit and the potential of all our people,” he said.

As ASEAN Chair for 2025, Anwar signed the declaration alongside the heads of government of all 10 ASEAN member states. Myanmar was represented by Aung Kyaw Moe, Permanent Secretary of the Foreign Ministry, while Timor-Leste’s Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão attended as an observer, marking the country’s deepening engagement since obtaining observer status in 2022.

The Kuala Lumpur Declaration formally launches a long-term development roadmap for the bloc. It builds upon the legacy of “ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together”, expanding its foundation with bolder ambitions for the coming decades. Key goals include more job opportunities and labour mobility, a flourishing digital and innovation ecosystem, the expansion of green and blue economies, and the development of secure and reliable digital infrastructure across borders. The plan also commits to improving intra-regional connectivity, simplifying cross-border trade, increasing the use of local currencies, and strengthening healthcare systems.

Beyond internal priorities, the declaration aims to position ASEAN as a credible and united voice on pressing global issues such as climate change, economic governance, and non-traditional security threats. It also envisions a stronger role for the ASEAN Secretariat in coordinating the implementation of initiatives, with the ASEAN Secretary-General tasked with delivering annual reports to ensure transparency and accountability on the road to 2045.

On the ongoing conflict in Myanmar, Southeast Asian leaders from Kuala Lumpur called on all parties to extend the temporary ceasefire (largely violated in practice) and build trust towards an inclusive dialogue. “We encouraged all relevant stakeholders in Myanmar to build confidence for a national inclusive dialogue, continuing sustained engagement with stakeholders to reach a lasting peaceful resolution of the crisis,” an official ASEAN communiqué stated.

Regarding the other major issue—the tariffs announced and then frozen by the United States, which would particularly impact Southeast Asian economies—Anwar Ibrahim revealed that he had written to President Donald Trump requesting a meeting between the US and ASEAN to address the issue. “This is a matter that touches not only on our aspirations, but also on our responsibilities,” he said, adding that ASEAN’s future depends on “equitable, sustainable growth and enduring resilience.”

At the same time, however, Kuala Lumpur is looking elsewhere too: this week, the Malaysian capital is also hosting a trilateral summit involving ASEAN, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and China. The 10 Southeast Asian countries—whose combined GDP exceeds US.8 trillion—already count China as their largest trading partner and increasingly view the Gulf nations as key engines of growth. The ongoing trilateral discussions aim to promote new strategies for sustainable investment, infrastructure collaboration, and the integration of digital economies.