EU
EU - ASEAN BLUE BOOK 2020 EU - ASEAN Natural Partners The EU and ASEAN are committed partners in sustainable development and enjoy mutually beneficial cooperation in areas such as economic integration, connectivity, the environment and climate change mitigation, and education. As the EU increasingly takes on the role of a global security actor and engages in ASEAN - led processes, EU - ASEAN cooperation continues to expand into new fields such as maritime security, counterterrorism, and transnational crime. Connectivity, which is central to the EU’s approach in its strengthening relationship with ASEAN, provides a new way to develop practical forms of cooperation which benefit all citizens in both regions. The EU’s approach is based on the principles of cooperation, collaboration, equality, fair negotiation, and participation. Both regions share the same objectives of peace and security, increased trade and resilience, and greater prosperity for all. Recognising the impressive progress made in the implementation of the EU - ASEAN Plan of Action for 2018 - 2022, in January 2019 the 22nd EU - ASEAN meeting of Foreign Ministers agreed, in principle, to upgrade EU - ASEAN relations to the level of a Strategic Partnership. This will allow increased engagement on key regional and global issues. EU - ASEAN Development Cooperation Reducing poverty and supporting sustainable development. In 2020, the EU and its Member States remain the largest donor to ASEAN and its Member States. Joint priorities include responding to the climate emergency, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, and protecting the environment while maintaining equitable and sustainable economic growth. Political and Security Cooperation Responding to shared regional and global challenges. In recent years, political and security cooperation has come to play an increasingly important role in the EU - ASEAN partnership, alongside the EU’s heightened engagement in security affairs globally. Recognising a shared interest in addressing global, as well as regional challenges, ASEAN has likewise scaled up cooperation 20
MDBCONNECTS 2ND ISSUE 2020
to encompass non - traditional, as well as traditional security matters. Through high - level political dialogues, the EU and ASEAN promote shared values and common interests. In 2019, at the 22nd EU - ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, foreign ministers discussed how to enhance EU - ASEAN cooperation to address urgent global challenges such as the environment and climate change, and threats to the rule - based multilateral system. Security and Defense Cooperation The EU’s active role in the ASEAN region’s security architecture is illustrated by the regular involvement of the EU High Representative in ARF Ministerial Meetings. These include the Inter - Sessional Meeting (ISM); the Inter - Sessional Support Group on Confidence Building Measures and Preventive Diplomacy; the ARF Senior Officials Meeting; the ARF Security Policy Conference; the Defense Officials Dialogue; and disaster relief exercises. Since 2014, the EU has also hosted four orientation courses on the EU Common Security
and Defense Policy (CSDP), with participation of high - ranking officials from foreign affairs and defence ministries across ASEAN. The EU also participates in the Shangri La Dialogue every year, an annual inter governmental defence meeting held by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in Singapore. Since its launch in 2002, the Dialogue has built confidence and fostered practical security cooperation by facilitating communication among the region’s defence and security policymakers. In June 2019, the EU High Representative participated, emphasising the EU’s increasing role as a global security player and its willingness to contribute to security and peace in Asia. The partnership between the EU and ASEAN in security affairs has expanded to non - traditional security matters. The range of issues range from conflict prevention, mediation and reconciliation, to counter terrorism, transnational crime (including cybercrime), crisis management, non - pro-
