Da Nang, April 11 (AseanAll) — Senior Officials of ASEAN and the United Kingdom reaffirmed their commitment to intensifying the ASEAN-UK Dialogue Partnership and strengthen collaboration in mutually beneficial areas at the 4th ASEAN-UK Senior Officials’ Meeting (AUKSOM) in Da Nang, Viet Nam on April 10, 2025.
Both sides welcomed the robust implementation of the ASEAN-UK Plan of Action (POA) 2022-2026, with nearly 95 percent having been or currently being addressed, and which would serve as a strong foundation for developing a successor document. ASEAN also welcomed the progress in the UK’s five flagship cooperation programmes.
The Senior Officials discussed cooperation areas that ASEAN and the UK could further explore across the three ASEAN Community pillars. Under the political-security pillar, both sides agreed to deepen cooperation on maritime security, cybersecurity, transnational crime, counterterrorism, Women, Peace and Security as well as Youth, Peace and Security.
Under the economic pillar, ASEAN and the UK commited to enhancing collaboration on economic integration, digital economy, artificial intelligence, science, technology and innovation, financial services, green finance, supply chain resilience, energy transition, business-to-business partnerships and women economic empowerment.
Under the socio-cultural pillar, both sides stand ready to deepen collaboration on education and skills development, climate change, health, disaster risk reduction, creative economy and cultural exchanges, and people-to-people exchanges.
On cross-pillar cooperation, ASEAN and the UK noted the potential to cooperate on Connectivity, smart cities and sustainable urban development, waste management, the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) and Narrowing Development Gaps.
Both sides committed to the operationalisation of the ASEAN-UK Joint Ministerial Statement on Connectivity. In this regard, the Senior Officials appreciated Viet Nam and the UK for jointly hosting the ASEAN-UK Connectivity Dialogue, which was held following the conclusion of the 4th AUKSOM.
ASEAN and the UK also exchanged views on regional and international issues of common interest and concern, where both sides reaffirmed their commitment to upholding multilateralism and strengtening the ASEAN-led regional architecture, including through the implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).
Looking ahead to the fifth anniversary of the ASEAN-UK Dialogue Partnership in 2026, both sides looked forward to commemorating the occasion with meaningful activities.
The 4th AUKSOM was co-chaired by H.E. Do Hung Viet, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and ASEAN SOM Leader of Viet Nam and H.E. Owen Jenkins, Director-General, Indo-Pacific and the ASEAN SOM Leader of the UK. It was attended by ASEAN SOM Leaders or their representatives, the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Political-Security Community, their respective delegations and officials from the FCDO. Timor-Leste attended as Observer.
