Chairman’s Statement of the 38th and 39th ASEAN Summits

26 October 2021 -

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), gathered for the 38th and 39th ASEAN Summits on 26 October 2021 under the Chairmanship of Brunei Darussalam. The Summits were chaired by His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and convened in accordance with the ASEAN Charter. It reiterated ASEAN’s support for Brunei Darussalam’s ASEAN Chairmanship under the theme “We Care, We Prepare, We Prosper”, which focuses on harnessing the caring nature of ASEAN to build a harmonious and resilient Community with the people at its centre; ensuring that ASEAN remains relevant through preparing and adapting for the future where its peoples can seize new opportunities, as well as overcoming existing and future challenges; and creating opportunities for people to benefit through initiatives that enhance the sustainable prosperity of the region. The Summit highlighted the importance of maintaining the momentum in cooperating within and beyond ASEAN for the pursuit of these goals.

Further, the Summit acknowledged Government of Japan’s (GOJ) support in community building efforts through the development of the Strategic Policy Framework on Promoting an Adaptive ASEAN Community of Greater Understanding, Tolerance and a Sense of Regional Agendas Among the Peoples of ASEAN and ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) Work Programme 2021-2025. With regards to response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Summit appreciated support from Japan and Australia towards the timely establishment and early operationalisation of the ASEAN Centre for Public Health and Emerging Diseases (ACPHEED). The Feasibility Study of ACPHEED which was implemented in 2020, and the Detailed Design and Preparation Support for the “ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases”, which is currently ongoing, are supported by the Government of Japan through Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF).