ASEAN Future Forum 2026 seen through international perspectives

The ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) 2026 shows Viet Nam’s active role in ASEAN, moving from participation to shaping ASEAN’s strategic agenda.

The establishment of the forum and its continued ability to attract broad interest demonstrate Viet Nam’s capacity to lead and convene regional dialogue on strategic issues.

Launched by the Vietnamese Government in 2024, the ASEAN Future Forum has drawn major interest and active contributions from ASEAN member states. The theme of AFF 2026, “Shaping Our Shared Future Together: Peace, Prosperity and People-Centred Development,” closely aligns with the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and reflects ASEAN’s cooperation priorities across the political-security, economic and socio-cultural pillars.

According to ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, the forum is gradually building its reputation and brand as a highly useful and practical platform for exchanges, contributing to policymaking processes, promoting cooperation and ASEAN centrality.

“The ASEAN Future Forum is an important initiative of Viet Nam aimed at advancing ASEAN diplomacy at both the regional and global levels. It is a positive contribution to ASEAN. This year, Viet Nam will host the third annual ASEAN Future Forum, building on the success of the events held in 2024 and 2025. We must put ASEAN on the global map. This special forum is one of the important platforms where Viet Nam is playing a constructive role in shaping ASEAN’s strategic messages. We must ensure that ASEAN has a strong voice on global issues. I think that is very important,” Kao Kim Hourn said.

Alongside the organisation of the ASEAN Future Forum and Viet Nam’s broader contributions to ASEAN, Kao Kim Hourn affirmed that Viet Nam’s image, standing and contributions have gained increasing recognition over the 30 years since it joined the grouping. According to him, Viet Nam has been a highly important and active member of ASEAN since 1995. Its contributions can be seen across many areas, including peace and stability, prosperity, regional integration and ASEAN Community-building.

“The Viet Namese economy is growing very rapidly. We highly appreciate what Viet Nam is doing. With the new leadership team, To Lam’s election as General Secretary and President of Viet Nam demonstrates the confidence placed in him not only by the Vietnamese people, but also, I believe, by people across the region and around the world, who see that Viet Nam has strong leadership. Therefore, we look forward to seeing Viet Nam’s role and contributions, particularly across different aspects of ASEAN,” the ASEAN Secretary-General said.

According to Kao Kim Hourn, as ASEAN begins implementing the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and its new strategic plans, strong new leadership from Viet Nam is important to the bloc. Viet Nam will make significant contributions in many ways, including to the ASEAN Economic Community, the ASEAN Political-Security Community, the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community and other areas.

For the first time, the ASEAN Future Forum will feature a discussion session dedicated to cooperation among political parties in Southeast Asia. The forum will also, for the first time, host the ASEAN Cities Leadership Conference, chaired by Hanoi, alongside a series of side events on the Mekong sub-region, Southeast Asian youth and artificial intelligence governance.

Ben Matthews, Deputy Head of Mission and Political-Security Counsellor at the United Kingdom Mission to ASEAN, spoke highly of the activities within the framework of the forum, saying they closely reflect the spirit of the theme and ASEAN’s cooperation needs. He also hailed Viet Nam’s efforts to help shape ASEAN’s future through the organisation of AFF 2026 and support the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.

Matthews said the United Kingdom and ASEAN are carrying out a broad array of activities to mark the fifth anniversary of their Dialogue Partnership and thanked Viet Nam for playing an important role in supporting ASEAN’s journey. He noted that young people account for one-third of ASEAN’s population and stressed the need for them to be involved in shaping the bloc’s future and contributing ideas to addressing future challenges.

According to Matthews, the United Kingdom Mission to ASEAN has worked with Viet Nam’s Diplomatic Academy to organise the workshop “The Next Generation of the ASEAN Future Forum 2026,” which will contribute perspectives to AFF 2026 ahead of its convening in Viet Nam. The workshop focuses on how ASEAN youth and partners such as the United Kingdom view future challenges and support ASEAN in resolving them.

AFF 2026 is also expected by regional experts and scholars to contribute additional perspectives, initiatives and practical policy recommendations to the ASEAN Community-building process, thereby reaffirming Viet Nam’s role as a proactive, active and responsible contributor to regional affairs.

Source: VOV