Philippines Participates in High Level Task Force Meeting on ASEAN’S Post-2025 Vision as Drafting of Strategic Plans Begins

Ambassador Elizabeth P. Buensuceso (2nd from left, 1st row) and Ambassador Luis T. Cruz (2nd from left, 2nd row), the Philippines’ Eminent Person and High-Level Representative to the High-Level Task Force on the ASEAN Community’s Post-2025 Vision (HLTF-ACV), respectively, at the 12th Meeting of the HLTF-ACV, Jakarta. (Photo: ASEAN Secretariat)

JAKARTA, 06 December 2023 – The Philippines, together with other ASEAN Member States, commenced drafting the Strategic Plans of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 at the 12th Meeting of the High-Level Task Force on the ASEAN Community’s Post-2025 Vision (HLTF-ACV) held on 4-5 December 2023 in Jakarta, Indonesia.  

Each of the community pillars - ASEAN Political Security Community (APSC), ASEAN Economic Community Pillar (AEC), ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC), and ASEAN Connectivity - will develop attendant documents which will be attached to the ASEAN Community Vision 2045. Following the Philippines’ proposal, the attendant documents will be called Strategic Plans, instead of the previous Blueprints of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025.

The HLTF-ACV conducted an interface and coordination meeting with the Chairs of the High-Level Task Force on ASEAN Economic Integration (HLTF-EI), the Senior Officials Committee for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (SOCA), and ASEAN Connectivity Coordinating Committee (ACCC) to address their concerns and discuss their progress in drafting the Strategic Plans of the AEC Pillar, ASCC Pillar, and Connectivity, respectively.

Ambassador Buensuceso advised the Chairs of the HLTF-EI, SOCA, and ACCC that in the process of drafting the Strategic Plans of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, the “approach was not to predict the future but to identify the challenges to ASEAN and have the institutional strength and flexibility to face such challenges in the next 20 years.” Ambassador Buensuceso then challenged the drafters of the Strategic Plans to “convert these challenges into opportunities for ASEAN.”

Ambassador Buensuceso also pushed for stronger cross-pillar coordination as the drafting of ASEAN’s strategic plans began. “In our drafting of the Strategic Plans, we advise the AEC and ASCC (pillars) to adopt cross pillar initiatives and programs where applicable, and likewise indicate or recommend initiatives that should be adopted by other Pillars, in consultation with the other sectoral bodies,” she said.

Ambassador Cruz, the High-Level Representative of the Philippines to the HLTF-ACV, participated in discussions with other ASEAN Member States on the drafting of the ASEAN Political Security Community Strategic Plan. 

The Philippines proposed that in order for the Vision 2045 to really reflect the will of the people of ASEAN, the HLTF-ACV-2045 should consult with non-governmental organizations, including the ASEAN Working Group on Human Rights, ASEAN Women for Peace and Reconciliation, and the youth sector. 

The HLTF-ACV will continue its work throughout 2024 until the release of the ACV 2045 during the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia in 2025. END

Ambassador Buensuceso (Right) and Ambassador Cruz (left) discussing the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 Strategic Plans (Photo: ASEAN Secretariat)