Wamenlu Tata: Benefits of ASEAN-EU Partnership Must Be Felt Directly by the Community

JAKARTA - The benefits of the ASEAN and European Union partnership must be felt directly by the public and business actors, said Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia Arramanatha C. Nasir.

Speaking at the 25th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam on Monday, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tata, said that the ASEAN-EU partnership was increasingly strategic amid an increasingly uncertain world.

The meeting, which was jointly led by the Foreign Minister of Brunei Darussalam and the High Representative of the European Union, discussed efforts to strengthen a strategic partnership that is equal and mutually beneficial between the two regions.

"The partnership between ASEAN and the European Union is not just a symbol. The benefits must be felt directly by the public and business actors, and can be relied on by the market. For this reason, we need to encourage the realization of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between ASEAN and the EU," said the Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, launching the statement of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (28/4).

On this occasion, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Arrmanatha C. Nasir, hopes that the European Union can play a constructive role in the midst of the current geopolitical and geoeconomic situation.

For this reason, he continued, the European Union must work together with ASEAN and other Global South countries to maintain an open, fair, and stable international system.

Closing his statement, the Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs also highlighted the importance of reforming the multilateral system, while encouraging ASEAN and the European Union to collaborate in realizing a global governance that is more inclusive, effective, and responsive to the current world reality.

The 25th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting was attended by a number of ASEAN and EU foreign ministers and deputy ministers who also raised the importance of multilateralism and respect for international law.

Energy cooperation, food, connectivity, digital transformation, maritime, and trade are prominent areas of cooperation as priorities. This meeting was also used to exchange views on regional and global issues. The meeting was closed with the adoption of a Joint Statement by ASEAN Foreign Ministers and the European Union.

On the sidelines of the meeting, the Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs had an honor meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Darussalam and the High Representative of the European Union, as well as other bilateral meetings with the Austrian, Polish, Portuguese, and German Ministers of Foreign Affairs.

It is known that the ASEAN-EU partnership will enter its 50th year in 2027. The ASEAN and European Union partnership has been established since 1977 and has great strategic potential in shaping a more stable, inclusive, and sustainable global order.