ASEAN Future Forum 2025: Shaping tomorrow through dialogue and connectivity

A pioneering mark

According to Canadian Ambassador Shawn Steil, the ASEAN Future Forum presents an opportunity for not only ASEAN members but also partners like Canada to look seriously at what the future issues that ASEAN may face and chart a course for addressing those issues.

Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam Shawn Steil. (Photo: Thanh Long)

The Ambassador expressed his appreciation for Vietnam’s role in fostering this kind dialogue and showing leadership with that.

"Sometimes it's risky to stick your head up and take a new initiative. Maybe it fails, maybe it doesn't, but the effort is important so we're really proud of Vietnam playing that role. More importantly, this also reflects how Canada sees itself in connecting, building consensus, and bringing leaders together to find solutions for future challenges," Ambassador Steil emphasized.

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He noted that the world's eyes are on ASEAN, in part because of economic growth. In particular, the prosperity of nations, from Canada to Vietnam, is closely linked to the growth, the production, the manufacturing, and supply chain operations in Southeast Asia.

Therefore, Vietnam now has the opportunity to shape the regional agenda and host high-level discussions that capture the interest of global leaders. Additionally, having a platform like AFF allows ASEAN to establish structured dialogue, drive strategic discussions, and contribute to shaping the region’s future.

In his term in Vietnam, the Ambassador observed that Vietnam has increasingly demonstrated proactive leadership, not only within ASEAN but also on the global stage and at multilateral forums. Canada, he said, is keen to strengthen cooperation with Vietnam to realize its leadership ambitions in global affairs.

He also highlighted the shared interests between Vietnam and Canada, emphasizing that identifying key areas of collaboration, particularly in fostering dialogue and linking North America, Europe, and Asia, will enable both nations to achieve significant milestones. This, he noted, will not only bring the common interest but also help promoting shared values.

Regarding Canada’s future cooperation with ASEAN, Ambassador Steil affirmed that Canada is steadily increasing its support for ASEAN, spanning development aid, investment in education, as well as peace and security initiatives. Moreover, as a country that values multilateralism, Canada seeks to work closely with ASEAN, sharing its expertise in international law development, multilateral negotiations, and contributing to the region’s long-term progress.

British Deputy Ambassador to Vietnam Marcus Winsley. (Photo: Ngoc Anh)

"An incubator for ideas"

Regarding to the British Deputy Ambassador to Vietnam Marcus Winsley, the ASEAN Future Forum 2025 is a unique forum. This is an chance for people from the Southeast Asia region but also the wider world, friends of Southeast Asia, to come together in order to share ideas and understanding about the world and how fast it's developing.

He likened the forum to an incubator for ideas," where nations come together to discuss critical topics such as a rise of technology, the sustainability of food production, and technological applications in food production. In his view, the forum serves as a vital hub for connectivity, not just within Southeast Asia but on a global scale, creating a friendly, supportive and open environment for dialogue.

Furthermore, British Deputy Ambassador Winsley highly regarded ASEAN’s role, calling it the most effective organization in Southeast Asia in bringing nations together for dialogue, fostering mutual understanding, and finding practical solutions to ensure security, not only within the region but also for external partners, including the UK.

Using migration as a key example, an issue of significant concern for the UK, the diplomat stressed that addressing this challenge requires close cooperation with ASEAN to ensure safe and orderly migration, despite the geographical distance of over 19,000 km.

The Deputy Ambassador expressed confidence that this cooperation will continue to grow stronger. Currently, the UK and ASEAN are engaged in extensive collaboration across various fields, including economic development, security, healthcare, education, and climate change.

"However, we want to see that go to the next stage," Deputy Ambassador Winsley stated.

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