ASEAN sets course for 2045 political-security plan

By AUFA MARDHIAH

ASEAN is preparing to adopt a long-term strategic plan to guide political-security cooperation through 2045, as the region nears the conclusion of its current ASEAN Political Security Community (APSC) Blueprint 2025.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the upcoming APSC Strategic Plan 2045 will serve as a “vital compass” for ensuring the region remains peaceful, resilient, and people-centred in the face of evolving geopolitical and transnational threats.

“This strategic plan will anchor ASEAN’s political-security cooperation over the next two decades, ensuring we remain responsive to emerging challenges,” he said in his opening remarks at the 29th ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Council Meeting held in Kuala Lumpur on May 25.

The meeting, which he chaired, follows the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting earlier the same day and is one of several engagements leading up to the 46th ASEAN Summit.

The Council noted that the implementation rate of the APSC Blueprint 2025 currently stands at 99.6%, reflecting steady progress in strengthening ASEAN’s political-security framework and regional strategic trust.

ASEAN foreign ministers, joined by a representative from Timor-Leste, also reviewed the blueprint’s performance and discussed preparations for its End-Term Review, which will inform the bloc’s transition into the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.

Mohamad said ASEAN sectoral bodies under the APSC pillar have made tangible progress since the last meeting in Vientiane, Laos in October 2024, advancing integration and regional resilience against external shocks.

However, he cautioned that the region faces an increasingly complex global environment shaped by geopolitical competition, economic uncertainty, and transnational crimes — particularly cyber-related threats.

“Closer to home, our region is facing increasing security threats, with the rise of cyber-crimes such as online scams and job scams. Countless ASEAN citizens have fallen prey to these deceptive schemes and been trafficked to work as forced labour in scam centres,” he said.

He stressed that such illegal networks have eroded public safety, harmed economic stability, and challenged law enforcement efforts across the region.

In response, he urged member states to enhance cooperation through legal harmonisation and information-sharing, and to strengthen ASEAN’s digital resilience amid fast-evolving technologies.

Looking ahead, the APSC Strategic Plan 2045 will chart a pragmatic and forward-looking path for ASEAN’s role in regional and global affairs, with an emphasis on collective preparedness.

As Chair of ASEAN for 2025, Malaysia has identified several areas of focus to reinforce political-security collaboration, including strategic dialogue, transnational crime prevention, defence partnerships, and legal cooperation.

“Malaysia is committed to working closely with all ASEAN Member States to ensure that our Community remains cohesive, responsive and future-ready,” he concluded.