The 43rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and related summits began on Tuesday, September 5, 2023 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

This year’s summit, chaired by Indonesia is themed, “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth.”

The summit was opened by Indonesian President, Joko Widodo and is slated to end on September 7, 2023.

During the next three days, leaders of ASEAN member states are expected to discuss issues that would chart the future of ASEAN as a community and an institution.

This includes steps to speed up the decision-making in crises and emergencies, as well as steps to bolster ASEAN’s capacity to respond to emerging challenges in the region.

The leaders are also expected to discuss the Myanmar crisis, review the implementation of a five-point consensus, as well as discuss territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

The five-point consensus, was reached between Myanmar and the other ASEAN members in April 2021, aimed at finding a peaceful solution to the conflict between Myanmar’s ruling junta and its opponents calling for democracy.

However, the junta has made little effort to implement the plan and violence has only increased in Myanmar.

Addressing the opening ceremony, President Joko Widodo, whose country is holding the rotating ASEAN chair this year, urged ASEAN to stay united.

Widodo noted that unity should not mean that there are no differences of opinion.

He gave an instance that as a country which has various ethnic groups, cultures, languages, and religions, for Indonesia, unity is a harmony in differences, including differences of opinion.

He noted that differences of opinion actually enrich democracy and show that all parties as a family have an equal position.

“This equality is what I see has become a rarity in the world,” Widodo said.

According to the Indonesian President, many injustices and conflicts occur due to the absence of equality. However, in ASEAN it’s different, equality is actually the main value that is respected and upheld together in the framework of unity and togetherness.

Widodo stated that ASEAN realizes that the world is not doing well. Future challenges are getting heavier and resulting in a scramble for influence by major powers.

Widodo Warns Against Rivalry

Moreover, Widodo noted in his speech that ASEAN has agreed not to “become a proxy for any power.”

“Don’t make our ship, ASEAN, become an arena of rivalry that causes damages to each other. Make our ship the foundation to build cooperation and create prosperity, stability and peace, not only for the region but also for the world.”
Joko Widodo

He added that the world’s ocean is too vast to sail alone. According to him, there will be other ships on the journey, namely the ASEAN partner ships.

“ASEAN, as a big ship, has a big responsibility to hundreds of millions of people who sail with us. Although we have to sail in high waves, we, as state leaders of ASEAN, must ensure that our ship can keep sailing well and we drive it towards peace, stability and prosperity.”
Joko Widodo

“Let’s together realize equal and mutually beneficial cooperation to sail together towards the epicenter of growth,” Widodo averred.

Additionally, the Indonesian President emphasized that the 10-member group must work harder, more collaboratively, braver and move faster.

“ASEAN also needs long-term tactical and practical strategies that align with the needs of the people, not just for the next five years, but also for the next 20 years until 2045,” he said.

Founded in 1967, ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.