ERIA Contributes to Strategic Dialogue on ASEAN’s Future at ASEAN Future Forum 2026

Ha Noi, 10 June 2026: ERIA actively contributed to strategic discussions at the ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) 2026, held from 9-10 June in Ha Noi, Viet Nam.

Now in its third year, the annual forum was convened under the theme 'Shaping Our Future Together: Peace, Prosperity, People-Centred.' The 2-day event brought together heads of state, ministers, policymakers, and leading experts from across the region to discuss collective ASEAN strategies for navigating an increasingly complex geopolitical and economic environment.

The forum opened with a high-level session highlighting ASEAN's commitment to regional co-operation and centrality. In his keynote address, H.E. Le Minh Hung, Prime Minister of Viet Nam, underscored the importance of collective action to safeguard peace and accelerate sustainable growth.

The opening panel featured prominent regional leaders, including H.E. Sonexay Siphandone, Prime Minister of Lao PDR; H.E. Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister of Thailand; H.E. Xanana Gusmão, Prime Minister of Timor-Leste; and H.E. Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr., President of the Philippines. Together with ministerial representatives from ASEAN Member States, they emphasised the need to strengthen institutional resilience to protect the region from external economic and geopolitical shocks.

On the first day, ERIA President Tetsuya Watanabe participated as a panellist in Plenary Session 1, 'Resilience and Unity in a Changing World.' The discussion focused on the challenges ASEAN faces amidst intensifying great-power competition and evolving multilateral dynamics.

The ERIA President stressed that preserving ASEAN centrality requires a transition from fragmented national approaches toward more co-ordinated regional industrial policies. He argued that stronger institutional cohesion would enhance ASEAN's resilience against supply chain disruptions and geopolitical uncertainty.

Other sessions explored forward-looking issues including conflict prevention, where participants discussed diplomatic mechanisms and preventive approaches to address emerging security challenges and territorial disputes. Discussions on inclusive artificial intelligence adoption examined the infrastructure, talent, and governance frameworks needed to ensure that the benefits of digital transformation are shared equitably across ASEAN by 2030.

Energy security and resilience were central themes on the second day of the forum. Dr Venkatachalam Anbumozhi, ERIA Senior Research Fellow for Innovation, participated as a speaker, highlighting the growing interdependence between energy security, economic growth, and climate commitments.

Drawing on ERIA research, Dr Anbumozhi outlined how strategic oil stockpiling and the operationalisation of the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement (APSA) could help shield the region from energy price volatility and its cascading impacts on manufacturing and agricultural sectors.

The forum also featured discussions on the future of ASEAN's development model. Participants examined how geoeconomic fragmentation is reshaping traditional export-led growth strategies and identified new pathways centred on human capital development, digital and green transitions, and circular economy ecosystems.

In the closing session, H.E. Le Hoai Trung, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam, presented a vision for ASEAN's future rooted in deeper co-operation and collective resilience. He emphasised that ASEAN's future must be shaped together - with peace as the foundation of regional stability, prosperity as the driver of sustainable development, and people at the centre of regional co-operation.

The discussions at AFF 2026 reinforced a common message: ASEAN's traditional approaches to regional co-operation must evolve to address emerging challenges. Participants called for stronger collaboration to enhance resilience, renew growth models, harness emerging technologies, and ensure that the region's future is shaped not only by governments but also by businesses, experts, communities, and young people.

On 9 June, Mr Watanabe also joined heads of international delegations in a meeting with H.E. To Lam, President of Viet Nam. The exchange focused on advancing implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and strengthening regional co-operation in support of ASEAN's long-term development goals.