22 November 2015: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to implement its ASEAN Community Vision 2025 in tandem with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while speaking at the seventh ASEAN-UN Summit.

Addressing the Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 22 November 2015, Ban highlighted the aim of ending poverty by 2030 through the SDGs, and noted that their implementation is “fully in line” with the ASEAN Community Vision. He urged ASEAN leaders to play a major role in supporting global climate action, welcoming progress made through national commitments, but noting this is insufficient to maintain global warming to below 2ºC. He added that, while ASEAN countries are facing significant environmental stress, they have the potential to realize the benefits of a low-carbon economy.

The ASEAN-UN Summit took place at the close of the 27th ASEAN Summit.

In 2013, the 23rd ASEAN Summit agreed to develop a ‘Post-2015 Vision’ for a politically cohesive, economically integrated and socially responsible ASEAN. A ten-member High-Level Task Force (HLTF), comprising one member from each ASEAN country, developed the document, titled ‘ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together,’ which the ASEAN Summit adopted. The document covers the three aspects of the ASEAN Community: the political-security pillar; the economic pillar; and the socio-cultural pillar. The annexes contain “blueprint” documents outlining proposals for actions to be taken under each of the three pillars.

The ASEAN 2025 vision document succeeds the ‘Roadmap for an ASEAN Community (2009-2015)’. [UN Press Release] [UN Secretary-General Remarks] [Publication: ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together] [ASEAN Community Vision 2025] [ASEAN Website]