On Thursday, the 43rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit concluded with a series of outcomes despite rising uncertainties globally.
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"The Indonesian chairmanship has achieved a lot in terms of efforts in maintaining stability and prosperity in the region," Indonesian President Joko Widodo said, adding that the world needs a safe house, and ASEAN is on the track to be able to perform those roles.
This year's summit under Indonesia's chairmanship is themed "ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth." Numerous documents have been adopted at the summit, including the East Asia Summit (EAS) leaders' statement on epicentrum of growth and an agreement on the development of electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem.
Participating countries of the EAS reaffirmed their commitment to maintain and promote the region as an epicentrum of growth by building resilience against emerging challenges and future shocks through cooperation.
During the summit, ASEAN members reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen ASEAN as an organization that is robust, agile, and equipped with strengthened capacity and institutional effectiveness.
"We must hand in hand navigate the challenges to be opportunities, navigate the rivalries to be collaborations, navigate exclusivity to be inclusivity, and navigate differences to be unity," Widodo said.
"ASEAN's big duties will not finish in only one chairmanship. We will continue to face the complexity of global challenges," he added.
Indonesia handed over the ASEAN chairmanship for 2024 to Laos at the closing ceremony. Founded in 1967, ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.