The third ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) 2026 is scheduled for mid-June in Hanoi under the theme “Shaping a Shared Future Together: Peace, Prosperity and People-Centred Development,” spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) Pham Thu Hang said at the ministry’s regular press briefing on May 14.
Answering reporters' questions regarding Vietnam’s preparations to host the third AFF in Hanoi, Hang said the forum is an initiative launched by Vietnam to create an open, inclusive and forward-looking platform where leaders, scholars and businesses can discuss strategic issues concerning ASEAN and the region.
The 2024 and 2025 editions were highly successful, receiving broad attention, support and participation from ASEAN member states and partners, she noted.
Hang stated discussions at this year’s event are expected to contribute additional policy recommendations to support the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, towards the goal of building a peaceful, cohesive, prosperous, resilient, self-reliant, sustainable and people-centred ASEAN.
Vietnam is working closely with ASEAN countries and partners to prepare for the forum, she added.
Addressing reporters’ queries about the major outcomes and cooperation orientations agreed by ASEAN leaders at the recent 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu, the Philippines, Hang said the summit concluded successfully with many substantive, effective and timely outcomes.
The summit took place amid highly complicated global and regional developments, particularly the crisis in the Middle East, she stated. ASEAN leaders reached a high level of consensus on comprehensive and inclusive response measures in both the short and long term across all pillars, from politics-security and economy to socio-culture.
Regarding urgent issues, ASEAN leaders stressed the need for the bloc to strengthen solidarity, enhance resilience and strategic autonomy, and promote the spirit of mutual support among member states; intensify inter-sectoral coordination, early warning and emergency communication mechanisms; and ensure regional energy and food self-reliance and security through accelerating the effective implementation of agreements and cooperation plans on oil and gas, energy connectivity and food security.
They also underlined the importance of strengthening consular cooperation and ensuring the safety of its citizens, particularly migrant workers in affected areas. On that basis, member states adopted the ASEAN Leaders’ Statement on the response to the Middle East crisis.
The leaders stressed that while prioritising efforts to overcome immediate challenges, ASEAN must maintain cooperation momentum and seriously implement agreed plans to achieve long-term goals under the ASEAN Community Vision 2045. Priorities include safeguarding regional security, peace and stability by strengthening solidarity, political trust and ASEAN-led mechanisms on the basis of respect for international law and multilateralism.
ASEAN also needs to focus on enhancing economic, trade and investment cooperation; implementing the upgraded ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA); concluding negotiations on the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA); tapping into new growth drivers; supporting small- and medium-sized enterprises; improving infrastructure connectivity; diversifying markets; and expanding economic linkages through FTA+ agreements with partners.
In addition, leaders emphasised the need to ensure that people truly remain at the centre of the ASEAN Community by prioritising resources for social security and welfare and enhancing the capacity of people, especially youth, to meet the demands of the digital and artificial intelligence era.
In his first appearance at the ASEAN Summit, Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung put forward various proposals and initiatives aimed at strengthening solidarity and resilience to proactively respond to current developments as well as future “shocks”, Hang said.
Vietnam’s proposals placed the highest priority on ensuring a peaceful and stable environment conducive for continued sustainable development and improving the well-being and happiness of the ASEAN people. They were praised by member states and incorporated into the core contents of the ASEAN Leaders’ Statement on the response to the Middle East crisis.
