Vietnam will actively work with ASEAN member states and partners to contribute to regional and global peace, stability, cooperation and development with the people as the core focus, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính told the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 in Hanoi on Tuesday.

Themed “Towards fast and sustainable growth of a people-centred ASEAN community”, the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 gathered nearly 500 delegates, including government leaders, scholars and ambassadors from the bloc and its partner countries.

PM Chính noted that ASEAN has been the centre for dialogues and initiatives for growth, but also faces multiple challenges such as development gaps among its members and the modest inter-connections within the community despite being the world’s fifth largest economy.

The world is seeing increasing competitiveness between countries and regions in addition to the environmental, peace and cooperation issues, while the exponential growth of technology can create a breakthrough as well as risks of inequality for developing countries, he said.

Meanwhile, the emerging trends of green growth and circular economy also require new approaches that take into consideration comprehensiveness and global context for enduring economic benefits.

This called for the ASEAN community to enhance its capacity to remove the barriers to stable and sustainable development.

Vietnam has always considered ASEAN among its top priorities in foreign policies and national security, and aligns its innovation and international integration with the bloc in all aspects.

To realise the ASEAN Vision 2045, PM Chính recommended the bloc strengthen its unity in diversity while upholding the spirit of independence and self-reliance and the common ASEAN stance towards regional and international issues.

The bloc should also enhance the strategic trust among its members and partners to mitigate conflicts and maintain stability and prosperity in the area and the world, he added.

Other missions include promoting green growth and the digital economy as the new drivers for growth, mobilising all resources for socio-economic growth and revamping policies, infrastructure and human resources for fast and sustainable development.

Initiative for common growth

Initiated by the Vietnamese PM at the ASEAN Summit in Jakarta last September, the ASEAN Future Forum is a multi-stakeholder, multi-layered and multi-dimensional platform complementing existing mechanisms to help policymakers outline a viable and effective long-term path for the community.

The objectives of the ASEAN Future Forum include promoting insightful and comprehensive discussions in both practical and visionary ways among various stakeholders - both within and beyond the region - and involving government leaders, policymakers, experts and practitioners on issues vital for ASEAN’s future and its progress.

It also aims to generate actionable policy recommendations and initiatives to be presented for consideration by ASEAN leaders and lawmakers, thereby directly contributing to the decision-making process at the highest levels.

Supporting the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and the realisation of the ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific among other agreements, the forum upholds ASEAN’s key values and principles while chartering a sustainable trajectory path for the bloc in the longer term.

One of the key goals of the ASEAN Future Forum is to deepen trust and understanding while promoting mutually beneficial cooperation between ASEAN member states, its external partners and stakeholders interested in fostering a progressive future for the community.

In a broader context, the forum also aims to strengthen ASEAN’s institutional capacity to better navigate the complexities of contemporary regional and global landscapes.

A summary of opinions raised at the forum will be delivered to ASEAN top leaders through official channels. The bloc's proposals are also expected to be forwarded to the United Nations (UN) as one of its contributions to preparations for the UN Summit of the Future in September this year.