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47th ASEAN Summit to Focus on Inclusivity and Sustainability
The 47th ASEAN Summit is set to take place in Malaysia from October 26-28, 2025, with a focus on themes of inclusivity and sustainability. The event will bring together leaders from the 10-member ASEAN bloc and dialogue partners to discuss regional security, economic cooperation, and pressing global issues.
Malaysia, under the leadership of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, will host the summit in Kuala Lumpur under the theme "Inclusivity and Sustainability". This aligns with Malaysia's chairmanship priorities for the year, which include advancing renewable energy, green technology, disaster resilience, and political-security cooperation within ASEAN.
Key expected attendees include major world leaders such as US President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, along with heads of state from ASEAN member countries and leaders from dialogue partner countries such as Japan, South Korea, and India. Trump's participation marks a significant US engagement in the region, coinciding with anticipated announcements of trade agreements, including a tariff deal with the US.
The summit aims to produce outcomes that advance enhanced regional economic integration and competitiveness, sustainable urban development and green growth, strengthened political-security cooperation to address regional challenges, and expanded cultural and educational exchanges among ASEAN nations. Concurrent forums such as the ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation Forum and meetings among ASEAN capital city mayors are expected to complement summit discussions on sustainability and urban cooperation.
The recent escalation along the Cambodian-Thai border serves as a reminder of how quickly tensions can rise when left unresolved. However, the principle of ASEAN's primary responsibility for its own peace, security, and prosperity still holds relevance today. In this regard, Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair, has worked constructively to facilitate talks between Cambodia and Thailand, culminating in a ceasefire agreement with the full support and solidarity of all ASEAN leaders.
Anwar Ibrahim emphasized the importance of ensuring that the visiting leaders leave Malaysia and ASEAN feeling their time was well spent, and that the visit yields results of lasting value. He also expressed that the founders of ASEAN will look to the progress of the bloc with pride, as ASEAN operates through consensus and non-interference, focusing on political-security cooperation, economic integration, and socio-cultural collaboration under the ASEAN Community framework established in 2015.
ASEAN, with a combined population of over 680 million and a GDP exceeding US$3.6 trillion (2024), is the world's fifth-largest economy. The theme of the 58th ASEAN Day celebration, which was held in Cyberjaya, Malaysia, in conjunction with the 58th anniversary of the founding of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), was "Towards an Inclusive and Sustainable ASEAN Future".
Anwar Ibrahim highlighted the vision and contributions of past ASEAN leaders, who looked beyond domestic concerns to consider the needs of neighbouring countries, the region, and the world. He stated that anniversaries are moments to reassess and reflect on how far the bloc has come and the journey ahead.
In conclusion, the 47th ASEAN Summit seeks to deepen ASEAN's regional ties with global powers while pushing forward sustainability and economic goals, with participation from influential global leaders underscoring its strategic importance.
- The 47th ASEAN Summit, focusing on inclusivity and sustainability, will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from October 26-28, 2025.
- Malaysia's chairmanship priorities for 2025 include advancing renewable energy, green technology, disaster resilience, and political-security cooperation within ASEAN.
- Key attendees of the summit are expected to include leaders from ASEAN member countries, dialogue partners such as Japan, South Korea, and India, as well as prominent world leaders such as US President Donald Trump.
- The 47th ASEAN Summit aims to produce outcomes that advance economic integration, sustainable urban development, political-security cooperation, and cultural exchanges among ASEAN nations.
