ASEAN Summit: ASEAN Must Be Ready to Face More Complex Challenges, President Jokowi Says

President Jokowi opens the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting with High-Level Task Force on ASEAN Community’s Post-2025 Vision at Meruorah Hotel in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai regency, East Nusa Tenggara province, Wednesday (05/10). (Photo by: ASEAN 2023 Host Photographer)

ASEAN must stand ready to tackle increasingly complex future challenges, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has said.

The President made the statement during the opening of ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting with High-Level Task Force on ASEAN Community’s Post-2025 Vision at Meruorah Hotel in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai regency, East Nusa Tenggara province, Wednesday (05/10).

“I appreciate the hard work of members of the High-Level Task Force for the past year and ASEAN must stand ready to face increasingly complex challenges,” he said.

The President also underscored the important role of the High-Level Task Force in identifying future challenges and opportunities in ASEAN and in ensuring the contribution of ASEAN for the advancement of the region and the world.

“We must prepare for the worst yet still hope for the best,” he said, adding that the 2045 ASEAN Vision must be more adaptive and future oriented and must not be business as usual.

The President also expressed hope that the High-Level Task Force can have a transformative and out-of-the-box mindset.

“Our discussion today will elaborate out-of-the-box and transformative thinking. Therefore, ASEAN leaders will directly hear the report and plans of the High-Level Task Force,” he remarked. (TGH/UN) (DH/EP)