Prabowo urges stronger ASEAN resilience amid global turmoil

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto urged ASEAN member states Sunday to bolster regional resilience and unity to navigate escalating global challenges.

Addressing the plenary session of the 49th ASEAN Summit at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Prabowo highlighted mounting pressures from geopolitical tensions, economic volatility, and resource competition.

"ASEAN is home to around 700 million people, with a combined economy exceeding US$4 trillion," Prabowo said. "We have come a long way, but the challenges ahead require us to be much stronger, more capable, more united, and more resilient."

As the bloc approaches its 60th anniversary next year, Prabowo stressed that sustaining peace, stability, and prosperity depends on deeper regional cooperation and enhanced domestic capabilities.

"This strength must begin within our own region," he said.

"We believe that only by improving the welfare of our own people can we make a greater contribution in the multilateral arena."

To secure regional resilience, Prabowo prioritized food, energy, and water security.

He noted that effective water management is critical for Southeast Asia, where communities frequently fluctuate between extreme scarcity and flood-inducing excess.

To drive energy independence, Prabowo highlighted Indonesia’s advancement of the B50 biodiesel program and plans to develop 100 gigawatts of solar energy capacity, alongside ongoing investments in education, healthcare, and domestic industries.

He also pointed to the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) as a key driver to unlock a regional digital economy valued at up to US$2 trillion by 2030.

Advancing these agendas, Prabowo added, requires effective institutions, strong leadership, and mutual trust.

He reaffirmed Indonesia's strong support for Timor-Leste to assume the ASEAN chairmanship in 2029, calling its eventual leadership a collective milestone for the bloc.

Translator: Prisca Triferna, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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