KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will prioritise inclusivity, sustainability and people-driven policies as Asean chair next year, says Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

He said Asean’s strength comes from its diversity and the grouping would continue to uphold the principles of its centrality, peace and shared prosperity.

“Fostering dialogues between different countries and regions will be the core of Malaysia’s leadership. We want to prevent the South-East Asian region from being pulled into the rivalries and tensions between global superpowers.

“We believe that diversity is our strength. Hence, inclusivity and sustainability will be upheld to fulfil the region’s spirit that is defined by peace and shared prosperity,” he said in his keynote address titled Asean as the Cornerstone in an Era of Geopolitical Shifts during the 15th Asian Conference of Valdai Discussion Club at a hotel here yesterday.

Mohamad also called for a change in the us-versus-them approach found in most global discourse, which had undermined Asean’s true powers.

“Asean’s power lies in the way it represents an entirely different model of engagement that has been rarely demonstrated in world politics. It is made of shared decision-making, between different states that have very different forms of governance.

“Asean does not only focus on striking a balance between different powers but also on building a development framework that is both inclusive and sustainable amid the global geopolitical shifts driven by factors such as technological advancement,” he added.

He also outlined the steps to build geoeconomic resilience in the region, which include diversifying the supply chain, having strategic reserves of food, energy and medical supplies, as well as developing digital infrastructure with blockchain and artificial intelligence technologies.

“The spirit of not taking sides has granted us access to all markets and partnerships around the world. This is geoeconomic resilience at its finest,” he said.

He added that Asean’s unity has placed the region in a unique position to advocate for solutions towards climate change.

“We acknowledge the urgency to address the climate crisis and have taken steps to mitigate the challenge in our economic plans.”

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko, who was present at the event, called for stronger ties between Russia, Malaysia and Asean.

“Russia’s trade turnover with Asean reached a record high of US$22bil (RM97.3bil) last year and this is just the beginning of a stronger Russia-Asean relationship.

“This relationship also provides many significant opportunities for us to diversify our trade,” he said.

“Both Asean and Russia have committed to this and a strong foundation has already been built,” he added in his introductory address titled Russia’s Vision for the Asia-Pacific: Strategic Partnerships and Future Prospects.

Themed Malaysia, Russia and Asean: Navigating Emerging Multipolarity, the 15th Asian Conference 2024 would address themes reflecting the evolving dynamics of regional and global cooperation.

It is jointly organised by the Valdai Discussion Club, Bait Al-Amanah, Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research (Insap) and Sasakawa Peace Foundation.

After the keynote and introductory addresses, Insap, Bait Al-Amanah and Valdai Discussion Club signed an agreement to mark their cooperation.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/12/10/mohamad-asean-is-geoeconomic-resilience-at-its-finest