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FAQs ON ASEAN 2025 : FORGING AHEAD TOGETHER
· What is ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together?
1. The ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together comprise five (5) documents namely:
1.1 Kuala Lumpur Declaration on ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together;
1.2 ASEAN Community Vision 2025;
1.3 ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Blueprint 2025;
1.4 ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint 2025; and
1.5 ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Blueprint 2025.
2. The Kuala Lumpur Declaration on ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together is a political document that was signed by the ASEAN Leaders during the 27th ASEAN Summit. The Declaration, amongst others, adopts the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the three Community Blueprints 2025 as well as contains directives of the Leaders on their implementation. The Declaration decides that the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Work Plan III and the ASEAN Connectivity 2025, which will be adopted in 2016, shall be an integral part of the ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together.
3. The ASEAN Community Vision 2025 charts the broad strategic direction of ASEAN in the coming decade (2016-2025), aimed at consolidating ASEAN community building, building upon and deepening the integration process. Essentially, the Vision articulates ASEAN aspiration to realise a politically cohesive, economically integrated, socially responsible, and a truly rules-based, people-oriented, people-centred ASEAN.
4. The three Community Blueprints contain action lines/strategic measures to realise the Vision. The APSC Blueprint 2025 contains 290 action lines while AEC and ASCC Blueprints contain 250 and 105 strategic measures respectively. Action lines will be developed by relevant Sectoral Bodies.
5. ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together succeeds the Roadmap for an ASEAN Community (2009-2015) which will expire on 31 December 2015.
· What is new about 2025 Forging Ahead Together?
6. The ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together reflects a considerable degree of progression in terms of agreed action lines/strategic measures, building upon the best practices and lessons learnt from the implementation of the Roadmap for an ASEAN for an ASEAN Community. There are significant numbers of new elements or action lines/strategic measures being introduced to ensure that ASEAN 2025 is relevant, contemporary and responsive to the challenges of the time. For instance, it is envisaged that the peoples of ASEAN will not only benefit from but also participate in ASEAN growth and development. At the same time, existing action lines/measures that are still applicable have been maintained.
· Why ten years and not five years?
7. Every community needs time to develop and evolve. The ASEAN Community is no different. Much more can be achieved over the next ten years that will benefit all the people of ASEAN. By having in place a ten-year Vision, ASEAN a framework for continuous development that will help unite and integrate further ASEAN Member States and the peoples has been established.
· What are the key elements of ASEAN Community Vision 2025?
8. The ASEAN Community Vision 2025 comprises five sections, summarised as follows:
8.1 Introductory and over-arching component
The Leaders resolve to consolidate ASEAN Community, building upon and deepening the integration process to realise a rules-based, people-oriented, people-centred ASEAN Community. The Leaders envision a peaceful, stable and resilient Community, with enhanced capacity to respond effectively to challenges in an outward-looking region while maintaining ASEAN centrality. The Leaders also envision vibrant, sustainable and highly integrated economies, enhanced ASEAN Connectivity as well as strengthened efforts in narrowing the development gap. The Leaders further envision ASEAN empowered with capabilities, to seize opportunities and address challenges in the coming decade.
8.2 APSC Pillar-specific component
The APSC by 2025 shall be a united, inclusive and resilient community, in which our peoples live in a safe, harmonious and secure environment, embrace the values of tolerance and moderation and uphold ASEAN fundamental principles, shared values and norms. ASEAN shall remain cohesive, responsive and relevant in addressing challenges to regional peace and security and play a central role in shaping the evolving regional security architecture, while deepening our engagement with external partners and contributing collectively to global peace, security and stability.
8.3 AEC Pillar-specific component
The AEC by 2025 shall be highly integrated and cohesive; competitive, innovative and dynamic; with enhanced economic connectivity as well as integration and cooperation across sectors; while fostering a more resilient, inclusive, and people-oriented, people-centred community that is integrated into the global economy;
8.4 ASCC Pillar-specific component
The ASCC by 2025 shall be one that engages and benefits the people, and is inclusive, sustainable, resilient and dynamic; and
8.5 Moving Forward
In order to achieve ASEAN Community Vision 2025, ASEAN shall realise a community with enhanced institutional capacity and increased ASEAN institutional presence in each ASEAN Member State. ASEAN Community Councils shall fully and effectively implement the commitments in the Vision and respective Blueprint as well as submit their respective reports to the ASEAN Summit in accordance with the established procedure.
· What are the main characteristics of the APSC Blueprint 2025?
9. The APSC Blueprint 2025 comprises four key characteristics as follow:
9.1 A rules-based, people-oriented, people-centred community bound by fundamental principles, shared values and norms, in which our peoples enjoy human rights, fundamental freedoms and social justice, embrace the values of tolerance and moderation, and share a strong sense of togetherness, common identity and destiny;
9.2 A resilient community in a peaceful, secure and stable region, with enhanced capacity to respond effectively and in a timely manner to challenges for the common good of ASEAN, in accordance with the principle of comprehensive security;
9.3 An outward looking community that deepens cooperation with external partners, upholds and strengthens ASEAN centrality in the evolving regional architecture, and plays a responsible and constructive role globally based on an ASEAN common platform on international issues; and
9.4 A community with strengthened institutional capacity through improved ASEAN work processes and coordination, increased effectiveness and efficiency in the work of all ASEAN Organs and a strengthened ASEAN Secretariat, as well as increased ASEAN institutional presence at the national, regional and international levels.
· What are the main characteristics of the AEC Blueprint 2025?
10. The AEC Blueprint 2025 comprises five interrelated and mutually reinforcing characteristics as follow:
10.1 A highly integrated and cohesive economy facilitating the seamless movement of goods, services, investment, capital, and skilled labour within ASEAN in order to enhance ASEAN’s trade and production networks, as well as to establish a more unified market for its firms and consumers;
10.2 Competitive, innovative and dynamic ASEAN focusing on elements that contribute to increasing the region’s competitiveness and productivity by: (i) engendering a level playing for all firms through effective competition policy; (ii) fostering the creation and protection of knowledge; (iii) deepening ASEAN participation in GVCs; and (iv) strengthening related regulatory frameworks and overall regulatory practice and coherence at the regional level;
10.3 Enhanced economic connectivity and sectoral integration through enhanced economic connectivity involving various sectors, namely, transport, telecommunication and energy, in line with and in support of the vision and goals of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) and its successor document, as well as to further integrate and cooperate in key sectors that complement existing efforts towards creating an integrated and sustainable economic region, with the aim to maximise their contribution in improving the overall competitiveness of ASEAN and strengthening soft and hard networks in the region;
10.4 Resilient, inclusive and people-oriented, people-centred ASEAN through enhancing “Equitable Economic Development” by: (i) strengthening the role of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, (ii) strengthening the Role of the Private Sector, (iii) promoting Public-Private Partnership, (iv) narrowing the Development Gap and (v) enhancing contribution of stakeholders on regional integration efforts; and
10.5 Global ASEAN through continuing the work towards integrating the AEC into the global economy by: (i) Developing a more strategic and coherent approach towards external economic relations; (ii) continue to review and improve ASEAN FTAs and CEPs; (iii) enhancing economic partnerships with non-FTA Dialogue Partners; (iv) engaging with regional and global partners to explore strategic engagement to pursue economic partnerships with emerging economies and/or regional groupings; (v) continue strongly supporting the multilateral trading system and actively participating in regional for a; (v) continue to promote engagement with global and regional institutions.
· What are the main characteristics of the APSC Blueprint 2025?
11. The ASCC Blueprint 2025 comprises five key characteristics:
11.1 Engages and benefits the people by enhancing commitment, participation and social responsibility of ASEAN peoples through an accountable and engaging mechanism for the benefit of all, towards a community of engaged and empowered ASEAN peoples who are provided the platforms to participate in ASEAN processes as well as to enjoy the benefits from the various initiatives;
11.2 Inclusive by promoting equitable access to opportunities for ASEAN peoples, as well as promoting and protecting the human rights of women, children, youths, elderly/older persons, persons with disabilities, migrant workers, ethnic minority groups, and vulnerable and marginalised groups;
11.3 Sustainable by promoting and ensuring balanced social development and sustainable environment that meet the needs of the peoples at all times. The aim is to strive for an ASEAN Community with equitable access to sustainable environment that can support its social development and its capacity to work towards sustainable development;
11.4 Resilient by focusing on enhanced capacity to collectively respond and adapt to current challenges and emerging threats. Socio-cultural resilience has cross-pillar linkages within the ASEAN Community and is recognised as an effective force for moderation for the common good, and one that is prepared for natural and human-induced disasters, and socio-economic crises: and
11.5 Dynamic by strengthening the ability to continuously innovate and be a proactive member of the global community. The aim is to provide an enabling environment with policies and institutions that engender people and firms to be more open and adaptive, creative, innovative, and entrepreneurial.
· What are the focus of the APSC Blueprint 2025?
12. Greater focus is given towards realizing a rules-based, people-oriented, people-centred ASEAN. These, among others, include action lines concerning effective implementation of the ASEAN Charter and all ASEAN agreements signed/ratified, strengthening good governance and the rule of law as well as the promotion and protection of human rights.
13. Emphasis is also given towards strengthening ASEAN ability to deal with existing and emerging challenges confronting the region. These challenges include the traditional and non-traditional security issues, as well as those arising from the rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape. In this regard, a substantial number of action line to strengthen the bodies and mechanisms under ASEAN, and all other ASEAN-led mechanisms such as the EAS, APT, ARF as well as ADMM-Plus have been introduced.
14. Given the urgent need to address to issue of violent extremism, action lines promoting tolerance and moderation have also been included in the APSC Blueprint 2025.
15. Importance is also given towards ensuring that ASEAN maintains its centrality and leadership in the evolving regional architecture. Action lines, in this regard, are designed to ensure that ASEAN can effectively respond to changing geopolitical landscape, and ultimately shape a regional architecture that is open, transparent, inclusive and rules-based. In addition, as an outward-looking Community, there are also action lines to ensure that ASEAN continues to deepen its engagement with its external partners, as well as enhance its capacity to contribute to key global issues of common interest and concern.
16. The APSC Blueprint 2025 places great emphasis towards strengthening ASEAN institutional capacity and effectiveness. This is also in tandem with the ongoing exercise that ASEAN has undertaken, particularly through the implementation of the Report and Recommendations of the High Level Task Force on Strengthening the ASEAN Secretariat and Reviewing the ASEAN Organs given that ASEAN resources and capacities are finite.
17. Emphasis is also given towards promoting ASEAN presence and awareness at the national, regional and international levels. Action lines in promoting the establishment of a dedicated ASEAN unit/division in line ministries/agencies as well as ASEAN Centres/Institutions in each ASEAN Member States are some of the examples of how such effort shall be pursued.
18. The APSC Blueprint 2025 contains more rigorous implementation, as well as monitoring and review mechanisms. There has been a greater clarity on the responsibility of relevant Sectoral Bodies/ASEAN Organs and targeted timeframe for each action line. The timeframe of implementation is divided into four categories i.e ongoing, immediate term (2 years), medium term (more than 2 years) and long term (more than 5 years). The APSC Blueprint also will be reviewed and evaluated biennially (2017, 2019, 2021 and 2023) as well as at mid-term (2020) and end of term (2025).
· How will ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead be implemented?
19. Having laid the foundation of an ASEAN Community, ASEAN shall now focus on consolidation, building upon and deepening the integration process. Consolidating and deepening the integration process will enable ASEAN to respond proactively and effectively to the opportunities and challenges presented by the rapidly changing regional and global landscapes.
20. In this regard, ASEAN Member States as well as ASEAN Organs and Bodies will have to ensure that ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together will be implemented in a timely and effective manner, bringing positive impact on the lives of its peoples. The ASEAN Ministers, the Secretary-General of ASEAN as well as other ASEAN Organs and Bodies will have to mobilize the necessary internal and external resources for this purpose.
21. The ASEAN Secretary-General will be monitoring and reporting the progress of implementation of ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together to the ASEAN Summit annually.
· What does ASEAN 2025 mean for ASEAN peoples?
22. For the ASEAN peoples, ASEAN 2025 means:
22.1 They will continue to live in a more united, secure, peaceful and cohesive region;
22.2 They will benefit and enjoy the gains resulting from enhanced sustainable environmental governance and practices in the region;
22.3 Their human rights, fundamental freedoms, dignity and social justice will be promoted and protected;
22.4 They will enjoy good governance that shall be further strengthened;
22.5 They will be part of a participative and socially responsible community with equitable access to opportunities for all;
22.6 They will be better protected against pandemics, natural and human-induced disasters and calamities, transnational crimes and trans boundary challenges;
22.7 They can engage purposefully with one another in ASEAN and the world;
22.8 They will enjoy greater prosperity through increased economic opportunities, enhanced regional connectivity, ease of intra-ASEAN travel and doing business as well as a resilient regional economy;
22.9 They will benefit from greater employment opportunities and quality jobs as well as from mobility of skilled labour and talents;
22.10 They will enjoy access to wider choices, safer, and better quality products and services;
22.11 They will benefit from better cost savings for businesses as well as consumers through improved access and connectivity;
22.12 They will benefit from access to a wider and better range of technologies and expertise; and
22.13 They will benefit from a strengthened ASEAN institutional capacity to implement the ASEAN agenda.
· What does ASEAN 2025 mean for ASEAN partners?
23. For ASEAN partners, ASEAN 2025 means:
23.1 Partnership with a dynamic Community that is committed to and has the capacity to contribute to a peaceful, secure and stable region;
23.2 Engaging a Community that wants to cooperate and collaborate with like-minded partners to promote regional peace and stability;
23.3 Working with a Community that has the capacity and capability to respond effectively to existing and emerging challenges in the region;
23.4 Working with a Community committed to cooperation with like-minded external partners to address international issues of common concern such as climate change and the environment and enhancing sustainable development;
23.5 Collaborating with a Community committed to working with external partners to strengthen cooperation in combating non-traditional security challenges, such as counter terrorism, drug-related crimes, trafficking in persons and people smuggling, and maritime security issues through various initiatives and project;
23.6 Working with a Community that is able to effectively address new challenges with strengthened regional mechanisms;
23.7 Acquiring opportunities for cooperation on regional defence and security matters;
23.8 Working together to share best practices and successful case studies on engagement and integration policies while recognising that the ASEAN Member States will continue to benefit from capacity building, resources and training provided by external partners;
23.9 Benefiting mutually from increased economic, trade and investment activities;
23.10 Collaborating with a stronger, more visible and united ASEAN, with a greater role and voice in global economic fora and increased contribution to global economic governance; and
23.11 Sharing increased opportunities for capacity building, sharing of experiences and knowledge, including best practices and people exchange.
· In conclusion, ASEAN 2025:
24. ASEAN 2025 reaffirms commitment, continuation and consolidation of ASEAN Community building. This is a continuous and forward-looking process to strengthen the ASEAN Community based on the political-security, economic and socio-cultural pillars to forge ahead together.
25. The action lines/strategic measures in the respective Blueprints of ASEAN Community 2025 seek to complete, within a specific and limited timeframe, key measures that have not been implemented in the previous Roadmap and to build on the experiences and expertise acquired in the preceding 10 years to tackle new challenges, harness new technologies and ensure opportunities for all.
26. Through this process, ASEAN also demonstrates to its partners and the world that it is determined to maintain ASEAN’s role in dealing with challenges that affect peace, security and stability of Southeast Asia. This means that ASEAN as a region is committed to and prepared to work with all partners concerned to address issues of mutual interest.