ERIA and Türkiye Convene Inaugural ASEAN–Türkiye Forum to Advance Strategic Partnership

Jakarta, 29 June 2026: ERIA, together with the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye in Jakarta, convened the inaugural ASEAN-Türkiye Forum today, bringing together senior officials, scholars, and practitioners from both regions to discuss the next phase of their partnership.

Held under the theme 'Türkiye & ASEAN Co-operation in Economy, Security, Sustainability, Peace Building, and Digitalisation', the forum reflected on the evolution of ASEAN-Türkiye relations and generated practical policy recommendations across trade, energy and critical minerals, and human capital development.

In his opening remarks, ERIA President H.E. Tetsuya Watanabe underscored the untapped complementarities between the two regions.

'ASEAN is one of the world's most dynamic regions, whilst Türkiye occupies a unique strategic position connecting Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Together, they have significant potential to advance regional prosperity, resilience, and security,' he said.

H.E. Prof. Dr Talip Küçükcan, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Indonesia, Timor-Leste, and ASEAN, highlighted the steady deepening of Türkiye's ties with ASEAN across all pillars of co-operation and the country's ongoing efforts to become a full ASEAN Dialogue Partner. He welcomed the gathering as a milestone in interregional engagement.

'This is the first ASEAN-Türkiye Forum of its kind, and we look forward to a second iteration to carry the dialogue forward,' he said.

H.E. Satvinder Singh, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASEAN Economic Community, noted that future prosperity will depend on engaging more deeply not only within the region but also with partners around the world.

'ASEAN and Türkiye are both open and connected economies. We have an opportunity not merely to celebrate what has been achieved, but to ask a more important question: how can we elevate this partnership to meet the demands of an increasingly uncertain world?' he said.

The first session, which reviewed the current state of ASEAN-Türkiye engagement, concluded that existing co-operation already reflects a relationship that is more comprehensive in practice than Türkiye's status as an ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partner might suggest. Speakers agreed that the next phase of engagement should focus on strategic depth and tangible outcomes, particularly in digital transformation, energy resilience, and human capital development.

Participants also recommended exploring Türkiye's potential engagement with the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), advancing digital connectivity, and strengthening bilateral relationships with individual ASEAN Member States, building on Türkiye's role as an observer in relevant ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) mechanisms.

The second session examined the intersection of geopolitics, energy security, and critical minerals. Participants recommended developing an ASEAN-Türkiye industrial partnership centred on co-production and co-manufacturing, supported by technology transfer, joint research and development, and human capital development. They concluded that one of the most promising near-term opportunities lies in critical minerals, leveraging Türkiye's position as an energy hub alongside ASEAN's integrated energy market.

The third session focused on human capital, skills development, and the future of ASEAN-Türkiye co-operation. Panellists emphasised that people-to-people connections are fundamental to a durable partnership. They highlighted the growing importance of universal AI and digital literacy, human-centred skills such as creativity and critical thinking, and a culture of continuous learning, relearning, and unlearning. Speakers also stressed that the challenges posed by AI and digital transformation are not only technological but also social, political, and ethical.

Amongst the proposals discussed were the development of a joint micro-credentialling framework and digital skills passport, the establishment of a centre of excellence for digital workforce development, and industry-linked training partnerships connecting Turkish technical and vocational institutions with their ASEAN counterparts.

The ASEAN-Türkiye Forum builds on a steadily maturing institutional relationship spanning the political-security, economic, and socio-cultural pillars, as well as ASEAN Connectivity. Türkiye acceded to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) in 2010, accredited its Ambassador to ASEAN in 2011, and became an ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partner in 2017. In 2024, Türkiye formally submitted its request to become a full ASEAN Dialogue Partner.