Leaders of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) issued the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on a People-Oriented, People-Centred ASEAN at the end of the 26th ASEAN Summit which took place in Malaysia on April 26 and 27.
Following is the full text of the Statement.
“WE, the Heads of State/Government of Brunei Darussalam, Kingdom of Cambodia, the Republic of Indonesia, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Singapore, the Kingdom of Thailand, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, on the occasion of the 26th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 27 April 2015;
UNDERLINING the ASEAN Charter as the basis of ASEAN's core principles and values to which we adhere;
REAFFIRMING ASEAN's establishment as a platform for common action to promote regional cooperation in Southeast Asia and the need to further strengthen the existing bonds of regional solidarity and cooperation;
FURTHER REAFFIRMING the Bandar Seri Begawan Declaration and Nay Pyi Taw Declaration on the ASEAN Community's Post-2015 Vision which reiterate our determination to create a people-oriented, people-centred and rules-based ASEAN, and the Bali Concord III and its Plan of Action (2013-2017), which contribute to efforts thereto;
RECOGNISING the United Nations Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals as well as the upcoming United Nations Post-2015 Development Agenda, which place people and the planet at the centre of a new era of sustainable development;
MINDFUL of the progress achieved within the region and the need for managing change and transformation effectively at the regional and global levels as well as the need to confront challenges to promote peace, security and prosperity in Southeast Asia;
WE HEREBY AGREE TO: Continue establishing a people-oriented, people-centred and rules-based ASEAN Community where all people, stakeholders and sectors of society can contribute to and enjoy the benefits from a more integrated and connected Community encompassing enhanced cooperation in the political-security, economic and socio-cultural pillars for sustainable, equitable and inclusive development.
Political-Security
Continue to promote the principles of democracy, rule of law and good governance, social justice, as well as to promote and protect human rights and respect for fundamental freedoms; Encourage the ASEAN Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights and other Sectoral Bodies related to human rights to continue to have meaningful and constructive engagement with relevant stakeholders, including accredited civil society organisations, in the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, in accordance with the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration;
Further enhance judicial systems and legal infrastructure to maintain a peaceful and harmonious environment, as well as engagement between legislative and executive branches in the process of the establishment of a rules-based ASEAN Community;
Continue to preserve Southeast Asia as a peaceful and prosperous region, free of conflict, nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction;
Further promote and strengthen peace-oriented values and reconciliation in ASEAN through inclusive engagement with all relevant stakeholders as well as enhancing and supporting the work of the ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation (AIPR); and
Continue strengthening good governance and integrity in the public sector in ASEAN Member States.
Economic
Promote an integrated, stable, prosperous and highly cohesive regional economy which encompasses all sectors of society, as well as encourage the participation of women, the elderly and youth in building a competitive, innovative and dynamic ASEAN;
Promote the development of Small and Medium Enterprises as a driving force for the ASEAN Economic Community, including providing an enabling environment conducive to their business activities, access to the formal financial system and continue promoting public-private sector partnership;
Encourage more engagement and interaction between ASEAN and business leaders, including Small and Medium Enterprises, support the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Work Plan II and its successor documents to narrow the development gaps among ASEAN Member States, as well as facilitate movement of business persons, skilled labour and talents;
Integrate the elements of health, climate change, environment, sustainable utilisation and management of natural resources, proactive disaster risk reduction and management strategies, and harmonious socio-cultural diversity in promoting connectivity, higher productivity, sustaining economic development and building resilience in the region;
Continue capacity building initiatives to enable all ASEAN economies to fully participate in the on-going integration efforts;
Realise the vision of a competitive, inclusive, resilient and sustainable food, agriculture and forestry sector integrated with the global economy, based on a single-market and production base contributing to food and nutritional security and prosperity in the ASEAN Community; and
Raise awareness, promote and develop social business in empowering communities to generate revenue and social returns to improve the well-being and livelihood of our people.
Socio-Cultural
Strengthen efforts to build a people-oriented, people-centred and socially responsible socio-cultural community with a view to achieving enduring solidarity and unity among the ASEAN peoples by instilling a shared appreciation of cultural diversity as well as promoting the well-being and welfare of the peoples;
Promote and protect the rights of women, children, youth and elderly persons as well as those of migrant workers, indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, ethnic minority groups, people in vulnerable situations and marginalised groups, and promote their interests and welfare in ASEAN's future agenda including through the ASEAN Community's Post-2015 Vision and its attendant documents;
Alleviate poverty and narrow the development gap by increasing access to basic needs and work towards achieving adequate standards of living in line with our global commitment on poverty eradication;
Ensure our people's access to clean water, clean air, basic healthcare and other social services so that they may lead healthy and productive lives and thereby contribute to the ASEAN Community;
Enhance people-to-people contacts and awareness of ASEAN identity among young people by increasing youth interaction and exchanges within ASEAN;
Promote sustainable cities in ASEAN with emphasis on robust economic activities, a safe and healthy living environment and eco-friendly and sustainable urban infrastructure;
Promote regional resilience by addressing socio-cultural and socio-economic issues that may result from climate change and other environmental impacts, including transboundary environmental pollution, as contained in the ASEAN Charter and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint, through the full and effective implementation of related ASEAN agreements;
Promote enhanced cooperation on disaster management and emergency response to strengthen disaster resilience at all levels and reduce vulnerabilities of affected populations; Ensure ASEAN's rich biological diversity is conserved and sustainably managed toward enhancing social, economic and environmental well-being;
Enhance cooperation in education by encouraging regional student exchanges, academic mobility and higher quality of education; and
Enhance cooperation among ASEAN Member States to create a high performing, dynamic and people-oriented, people-centred civil service to support a prosperous and resilient ASEAN Community.
External Cooperation
Enhance ASEAN cooperation with its dialogue partners and relevant external parties within the framework of ASEAN-led mechanisms in all three pillars of the ASEAN Community that would complement regional efforts to strengthen a people-oriented, people-centred and rules-based ASEAN.
WE are committed to the above aspirations, which shall serve as guiding principles in promoting a people-oriented, people-centred, and rules-based ASEAN."- VNA
Following is the full text of the Statement.
“WE, the Heads of State/Government of Brunei Darussalam, Kingdom of Cambodia, the Republic of Indonesia, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Singapore, the Kingdom of Thailand, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, on the occasion of the 26th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 27 April 2015;
UNDERLINING the ASEAN Charter as the basis of ASEAN's core principles and values to which we adhere;
REAFFIRMING ASEAN's establishment as a platform for common action to promote regional cooperation in Southeast Asia and the need to further strengthen the existing bonds of regional solidarity and cooperation;
FURTHER REAFFIRMING the Bandar Seri Begawan Declaration and Nay Pyi Taw Declaration on the ASEAN Community's Post-2015 Vision which reiterate our determination to create a people-oriented, people-centred and rules-based ASEAN, and the Bali Concord III and its Plan of Action (2013-2017), which contribute to efforts thereto;
RECOGNISING the United Nations Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals as well as the upcoming United Nations Post-2015 Development Agenda, which place people and the planet at the centre of a new era of sustainable development;
MINDFUL of the progress achieved within the region and the need for managing change and transformation effectively at the regional and global levels as well as the need to confront challenges to promote peace, security and prosperity in Southeast Asia;
WE HEREBY AGREE TO: Continue establishing a people-oriented, people-centred and rules-based ASEAN Community where all people, stakeholders and sectors of society can contribute to and enjoy the benefits from a more integrated and connected Community encompassing enhanced cooperation in the political-security, economic and socio-cultural pillars for sustainable, equitable and inclusive development.
Political-Security
Continue to promote the principles of democracy, rule of law and good governance, social justice, as well as to promote and protect human rights and respect for fundamental freedoms; Encourage the ASEAN Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights and other Sectoral Bodies related to human rights to continue to have meaningful and constructive engagement with relevant stakeholders, including accredited civil society organisations, in the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, in accordance with the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration;
Further enhance judicial systems and legal infrastructure to maintain a peaceful and harmonious environment, as well as engagement between legislative and executive branches in the process of the establishment of a rules-based ASEAN Community;
Continue to preserve Southeast Asia as a peaceful and prosperous region, free of conflict, nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction;
Further promote and strengthen peace-oriented values and reconciliation in ASEAN through inclusive engagement with all relevant stakeholders as well as enhancing and supporting the work of the ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation (AIPR); and
Continue strengthening good governance and integrity in the public sector in ASEAN Member States.
Economic
Promote an integrated, stable, prosperous and highly cohesive regional economy which encompasses all sectors of society, as well as encourage the participation of women, the elderly and youth in building a competitive, innovative and dynamic ASEAN;
Promote the development of Small and Medium Enterprises as a driving force for the ASEAN Economic Community, including providing an enabling environment conducive to their business activities, access to the formal financial system and continue promoting public-private sector partnership;
Encourage more engagement and interaction between ASEAN and business leaders, including Small and Medium Enterprises, support the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Work Plan II and its successor documents to narrow the development gaps among ASEAN Member States, as well as facilitate movement of business persons, skilled labour and talents;
Integrate the elements of health, climate change, environment, sustainable utilisation and management of natural resources, proactive disaster risk reduction and management strategies, and harmonious socio-cultural diversity in promoting connectivity, higher productivity, sustaining economic development and building resilience in the region;
Continue capacity building initiatives to enable all ASEAN economies to fully participate in the on-going integration efforts;
Realise the vision of a competitive, inclusive, resilient and sustainable food, agriculture and forestry sector integrated with the global economy, based on a single-market and production base contributing to food and nutritional security and prosperity in the ASEAN Community; and
Raise awareness, promote and develop social business in empowering communities to generate revenue and social returns to improve the well-being and livelihood of our people.
Socio-Cultural
Strengthen efforts to build a people-oriented, people-centred and socially responsible socio-cultural community with a view to achieving enduring solidarity and unity among the ASEAN peoples by instilling a shared appreciation of cultural diversity as well as promoting the well-being and welfare of the peoples;
Promote and protect the rights of women, children, youth and elderly persons as well as those of migrant workers, indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, ethnic minority groups, people in vulnerable situations and marginalised groups, and promote their interests and welfare in ASEAN's future agenda including through the ASEAN Community's Post-2015 Vision and its attendant documents;
Alleviate poverty and narrow the development gap by increasing access to basic needs and work towards achieving adequate standards of living in line with our global commitment on poverty eradication;
Ensure our people's access to clean water, clean air, basic healthcare and other social services so that they may lead healthy and productive lives and thereby contribute to the ASEAN Community;
Enhance people-to-people contacts and awareness of ASEAN identity among young people by increasing youth interaction and exchanges within ASEAN;
Promote sustainable cities in ASEAN with emphasis on robust economic activities, a safe and healthy living environment and eco-friendly and sustainable urban infrastructure;
Promote regional resilience by addressing socio-cultural and socio-economic issues that may result from climate change and other environmental impacts, including transboundary environmental pollution, as contained in the ASEAN Charter and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint, through the full and effective implementation of related ASEAN agreements;
Promote enhanced cooperation on disaster management and emergency response to strengthen disaster resilience at all levels and reduce vulnerabilities of affected populations; Ensure ASEAN's rich biological diversity is conserved and sustainably managed toward enhancing social, economic and environmental well-being;
Enhance cooperation in education by encouraging regional student exchanges, academic mobility and higher quality of education; and
Enhance cooperation among ASEAN Member States to create a high performing, dynamic and people-oriented, people-centred civil service to support a prosperous and resilient ASEAN Community.
External Cooperation
Enhance ASEAN cooperation with its dialogue partners and relevant external parties within the framework of ASEAN-led mechanisms in all three pillars of the ASEAN Community that would complement regional efforts to strengthen a people-oriented, people-centred and rules-based ASEAN.
WE are committed to the above aspirations, which shall serve as guiding principles in promoting a people-oriented, people-centred, and rules-based ASEAN."- VNA
