ASEAN aims at sustainability

The 34th summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, is expected to adopt policies promoting sustainable development, pushing the region to go beyond the economic gains it has reaped in the past few years, analysts say.

Leaders of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam will meet in Bangkok on June 22-23 to discuss policies in line with the summit's theme, Advancing Partnership for Sustainability.

Suriya Chindawongse, director-general of the Department of ASEAN Affairs at the Thai Foreign Ministry, said this year's summit will focus on building a people-centered ASEAN community "that leaves no one behind and looks to the future", according to a report in The Bangkok Post newspaper.

Analysts expect ASEAN leaders to adopt key documents such as the ASEAN Leaders' Vision Statement on Partnership for Sustainability, the Bangkok Declaration on Combating Marine Debris in ASEAN.

Thailand, which is heading this year's meeting, "will try to push for tangible results in three areas: sustainability in all dimensions, a seamless ASEAN that is connected to the world, and a 'green' ASEAN", said Sophie Boisseau du Rucher, associate research fellow at the Center for Asian Studies, French Institute of International Relations.

She said leaders need to discuss these matters if ASEAN member states want to move forward and meet some of the challenges in the region such as marine pollution, regional security and disruptive technology.

She also hoped ASEAN leaders will go beyond marine pollution and wildlife trafficking to include other environmental issues.

Pandit Chanrochanakit, deputy dean of political science at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, expects that ASEAN leaders will take heed of the United Nations' 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Pandit said since the ASEAN meeting is focusing on sustainability, he expects leaders to craft policies that will be more responsive to local people's needs and which will protect the natural environment.

Environmental issues will feature prominently at the meeting. Apart from the Bangkok Declaration on Combating Marine Debris in ASEAN, leaders will also consider the Chiang Mai Statement of ASEAN Ministers Responsible for CITES and Wildlife Enforcement on illegal wildlife trade. CITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

The Bangkok Declaration was drafted on March 5 amid reports that Southeast Asian nations are among the biggest sources of plastic products polluting the ocean. ASEAN ministers signed this agreement to showcase their commitment to reducing marine pollution and to implement both regional and local action plans that can reduce the growing waste problem.

ASEAN environment ministers also committed to join the global fight against the multibillion-dollar illegal wildlife trade by signing the Chiang Mai Statement on March 22. They pledged to boost global and regional wildlife trade policy, tighten law enforcement and curb poaching and wildlife cybercrimes.