ASEAN Momentum: the relaunch of EU’s and Italy’s relations with Southeast Asia

The current political and strategic upheavals in the global scene have pushed ASEAN to the centre in the process of re-defining the balance of power in the Asian continent. Located between the Pacific and the Indian Oceans, Southeast Asia represents the heart of the new geopolitical arc of the Indo-Pacific. The region is becoming the new pole of interest when it comes to economic, social, political and security policy, not just for the region itself, but for all international actors, which are looking to this area with increasing interest.

Over the course of the last year, Europe has made decisive steps towards relaunching the cooperation with actors in Southeast Asia. In December of 2020, during the 23rd Ministers’ Meeting, the EU and ASEAN have elevated their relationship to the level of strategic partnership, through which they intend to face challenges both regional and international with a synergetic approach, with a particular focus on three different fields: politics and security (sanitarian, cyber, maritime, traditional or non-traditional), sustainable development and connectivity.

The European Union’s initiative has sealed an interest in Southeast Asia that had already been highlighted on a bilateral level by some European countries, including Italy, which has been granted the status of “ASEAN Development Partner” since September 2020. In such circumstances, understanding ASEAN’s internal dynamics, its objectives and priorities in the face of changes currently happening on the international level and the way the Association plans to respond to them proves to be a fundamental factor for Europe as well as for Italy.

The event concludes the project ASEAN Momentum, realized in collaboration by CeSI and Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia, with the financial contribution of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Agenda

9.30 am - Welcoming and Introduction

• Francesca Manenti, Director - CeSI

9.50 am Keynote speaker

• Lukas Gajdos, Deputy Head of Mission - Delegation of the EU to ASEAN

• Alessandra Schiavo, Deputy Director General/Principal Director for the Countries of Asia and Oceania, Directorate General for Global Affairs - Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

• Alizan Mahadi, Director of Research - Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia

11.00 am Closing remarks (recorded)

• Rommanee Kananurak, M. me Ambassador of Thailand to Italy and Chair of ASEAN Committee in Rome

11.15 am Discussion

Moderator: Francesca Manenti, Director - CeSI

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