About the Webinar

Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship comes at a time of unprecedented geopolitical flux and renewed introspection within the region. As intensifying major power rivalry complicates traditional ASEAN diplomacy, Malaysia — under the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability” — aims to strengthen regional integration as it prepares to introduce the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 which will outline the region’s strategic direction for the next 20 years. ASEAN is also scheduled to conclude the negotiations for the Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) this year, marking another important achievement for the region.

While Malaysia presides over these milestones, it also faces the daunting task of steering ASEAN through challenging geopolitical currents. The region anxiously awaits to see how the second Trump presidency will affect the dynamics of US-ASEAN relations. Malaysia is also responsible for ensuring continued progress in the ongoing negotiations for a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea which remains a flashpoint in China-ASEAN relations. Internally, Malaysia must galvanise ASEAN’s response to the protracted conflict in Myanmar which has strained the grouping’s unity and credibility, and facilitate the implementation of a roadmap for Timor-Leste’s formal accession to ASEAN.

This webinar, scheduled to be held after the 46th ASEAN Leaders’ Summit in Kuala Lumpur, aims to delve into the progress made during Malaysia’s chairmanship, particularly focusing on the tangible outcomes of the upcoming Leaders’ Summit. Malaysia’s 2025 ASEAN Chairmanship poses high stakes for ASEAN as it manoeuvres wider regional issues in an increasingly fragmented world. By bringing together experts in regional security and economic regionalism, the webinar seeks to provide valuable insights into Southeast Asia’s trajectory and prospects.