Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,
1. It is my great honour to extend a warm welcome to this Joint Meeting of the ASEAN Senior Officials and the ASEAN Senior Economic Officials.
2. We meet at a time when the global landscape is defined by unprecedented complexity and transformation. The order that has structured international relations and trade is fracturing and fraying. Geopolitical tensions, economic fragmentation, and rapid technological advancements are reshaping the way nations engage and cooperate.
3. These challenges transcend borders, necessitating a seamless integration of our political, security and economic strategies to ensure ASEAN’s continued relevance and competitiveness.
4. Malaysia remains steadfast in its belief that fostering deeper collaboration between our foreign and economic tracks will enhance ASEAN’s ability to navigate complex issues, from trade facilitation and investment promotion to regional security and people-to-people connectivity.
5. This Meeting is therefore an important step in preparing for the ASEAN Joint Foreign and Economic Ministers’ Meeting which will help align our strategic priorities across the Community pillars.
6. This joint preparatory session also provides us with a unique opportunity to exchange insights and forge consensus on deliverables for the upcoming ministerial meeting.
7. Our objective today is to lay the groundwork for our ministers to advance policies that not only safeguard our regional stability but also drive sustainable growth and prosperity for all ASEAN member states.
8. We commend the ASEAN Geoeconomics Task Force’s (AGTF) ongoing efforts and hope that their briefing today can offer valuable insights to inform our collective strategies for a more assertive and integrated ASEAN response to global economic dynamics.
9. I am confident that our discussions today will be fruitful, guided by the spirit of mutual respect and cooperation that defines ASEAN.
10. Thank you, and I look forward to our productive deliberations.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
23 October 2025
--BERNAMA