Director General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Sidharto Suryodipuro, called on the United Kingdom (UK) to support the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).
The Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) Leader emphasized the importance of UK’s participation in infrastructure projects aimed at improving regional connectivity.
At the recent ASEAN-United Kingdom (UK) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Suryodipuro emphasized the need to strengthen economic resilience and ensure equitable access to the digital economy. He proposed that ASEAN and the UK could collaborate on promoting innovation to bridge technology gaps, developing artificial intelligence (AI), building digital infrastructure in remote areas, and supporting digital literacy through training programs.
“Digital economic transformation is a major driver for investment, so UK support for ASEAN DEFA (Digital Economy Framework Agreement) is crucial,” he stated. The ASEAN DEFA, one of the economic priorities championed by Indonesia during its ASEAN Chairmanship last year, aims for completion by 2025.
Suryodipuro announced that ASEAN and the UK had agreed to a commitment to improve regional connectivity, marking the UK’s support for the AOIP. “ASEAN is the ‘heart’ of the Indo-Pacific region, which is experiencing the fastest growth in the world,” he noted. To support this growth, ASEAN businesses are forming the Indo-Pacific Business Network, with Indonesia inviting the UK’s private sector to participate.
The ASEAN-UK partnership, initiated in 2021, has made the UK the newest ASEAN Dialogue Partner. This year’s ASEAN-UK Ministerial Meeting concluded with the adoption of the Joint Ministerial Statement: Enhancing Connectivity for a Prosperous and Sustainable Future.
The document outlines a shared commitment to advancing cooperation in the digital economy, sustainable infrastructure, energy collaboration, digitalization and education, sustainable development, and maritime connectivity.
