ASEAN leaders' summit opens in Laos

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders' summit commenced in Vientiane, Laos, with representatives from the 10 member states and Timor-Leste as a special guest. The summit, hosted by Laos this year, began with an opening ceremony followed by plenary and retreat sessions.

Laotian Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, in his opening remarks, emphasized the importance of building a stronger ASEAN community and connectivity to address the challenges posed by the complex and fluctuating geopolitical and geoeconomic climate. He noted that ASEAN has its own ways to tackle the numerous challenges it faces.

Key issues on the agenda include the worsening civil war in Myanmar, tensions in the South China Sea, recent devastating floods in several ASEAN countries, and the ongoing violence in the Middle East. The Myanmar crisis is of particular concern, with Thailand expected to propose a new track for finding a political solution, given the limited progress of the regional peace initiative. Myanmar's military leaders remain barred from ASEAN summits, with the country represented by a senior foreign ministry official.

The summit will also involve engagement with representatives from the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC), and ASEAN Youth.

Following the ASEAN leaders' meetings, two days of summits with regional and world powers are scheduled.

The ASEAN region, home to over 700 million people across 1.7 million square miles, recorded a total GDP of $3.62 trillion in 2022. This summit serves as a crucial platform for addressing regional issues and strengthening cooperation among member states and international partners.

As the summit progresses, leaders aim to foster greater unity and resilience within ASEAN, enhancing the bloc's ability to navigate the complex global landscape and address shared challenges effectively.