SOM Leaders Emphasise 46th ASEAN Summit As Key Milestone Towards ASEAN Community Vision 2045

KUALA LUMPUR, May 24 (Bernama) -- The ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) today underscored the importance of the 46th ASEAN Summit as a key milestone in advancing the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, which aims to shape a resilient, innovative, and people-centred regional bloc.

The meeting was chaired by the Foreign Ministry Secretary-General, Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin, at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) here.

According to Wisma Putra, it was convened in preparation for the 46th ASEAN Summit, the 2nd ASEAN- Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit, and the inaugural ASEAN-GCC-China Summit, which will be held on May 26 to 27.

“The Meeting also recognised the upcoming ASEAN-GCC and ASEAN-GCC-China Summits as critical platforms to enhance ASEAN’s external partnerships, particularly in the areas of energy, trade, investment, and sustainable development,” it said in a Facebook post today.

Wisma Putra added that ASEAN SOM leaders, together with the SOM leader of Timor-Leste, also exchanged views on regional developments and matters of mutual interest.

According to Wisma Putra, key topics included ASEAN Community building, implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, ASEAN’s external relations, Timor-Leste’s progress towards full ASEAN membership, and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC).

The 46th ASEAN Summit is being held under Malaysia’s 2025 Chairmanship theme, “Inclusivity and Sustainability”. 

This year also marks the country’s fifth time at the helm of the regional bloc, following previous chairmanships in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015.

The ASEAN Summit and its related meetings are expected to address a wide range of pressing regional and global issues, with the situation in Myanmar remaining a critical topic of concern for ASEAN member states.

-- BERNAMA