During a joint summit with Southeast Asian nations in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres hailed the region as “a beacon of cooperation” and a vital pillar of global stability. He noted that Timor-Leste’s membership has bolstered ASEAN, making it essential in crafting “a more balanced and interconnected world.” The bloc, now comprising 11 full members, aligns with partners like China, India, the EU, Russia, and Australia. The UN maintains a global partnership framework with ASEAN and joint action plans. Guterres emphasized enhancing collaboration in peace and prevention, sustainable development and financial justice, climate action, and digital transformation. He praised ASEAN’s contributions to peacekeeping and mediation, highlighting Malaysia’s role in facilitating peace between Cambodia and Thailand and stressed the importance of dialogue in the South China Sea. Addressing Myanmar, he denounced ongoing violence, describing the humanitarian crisis as “appalling,” with thousands dead and millions displaced. He urged a halt to hostilities, civilian protection, and the release of detainees, supporting ASEAN’s 2021 consensus and the Security Council’s ceasefire call. Criticizing the “outdated and unfair” global financial system, he urged reforms to include ASEAN economies. He warned that the 1.5-degree Celsius climate goal is “on life support” and called for increased climate ambitions before COP30 in Brazil. On digital transformation, he affirmed the UN’s commitment to AI serving humanity. In a post-summit press conference, Guterres stated ASEAN “offers a vision of hope” amid global uncertainty, expressing the UN’s pride in partnering with ASEAN for a better and more peaceful future worldwide.
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