September 5, 2023, marked the start of the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, with Indonesia being the chair. On the first day, the summit was kick-started with an address from the president of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, who urged Southeast Asian leaders on Tuesday to be bolder and more flexible and to establish a long-term tactical strategy to meet rising global threats. It will be a three-day summit from the 5th to the 8th of September.

In his address, Mr. Widodo compared ASEAN to a giant ship, saying it bears a great deal of duty to the hundreds of millions of people who sail alongside it. “And despite having to sail through a storm, we as leaders must ensure that this ship can continue to sail, and we have to be captains of our ship to achieve peace, to achieve stability, to achieve prosperity together,” he said.

During the summit, several pressing issues were on the agenda, including discussions regarding Myanmar’s peace deal, recently disclosed Chinese maps, China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea, and the ongoing tensions between the United States and China, among other topics.

One significant development during the meeting was the Philippines’ proposal to assume the role of chair for the bloc in 2026, effectively replacing Myanmar’s junta rulers. This proposal underscores the divisions within the bloc concerning the path to resolving the Myanmar crisis.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN is an intergovernmental organization of ten Southeast Asian countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Established in 1967 with the signing of the Bangkok Declaration, ASEAN has consistently promoted economic integration among its member countries, fostering regional cooperation and unity.

As the 43rd ASEAN Summit unfolds, leaders and observers alike are closely monitoring the deliberations and decisions that will shape the region’s future.

-Anushka Upadhyay