Malaysia takes over ASEAN chairmanship for 2025

On January 1, 2025, Malaysia officially assumed the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for the fifth time since the organization's founding in 1967.

The handover took place during the closing ceremony of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits held in Vientiane, Laos, in October 2024, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

During the ceremony, Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone of Laos symbolically transferred the ASEAN chairmanship to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Under the theme of "Inclusivity and Sustainability," Malaysia will guide ASEAN through a series of important regional challenges in 2025, including ongoing disputes in the South China Sea and the humanitarian crisis caused by Myanmar’s civil war.

Throughout the year, Malaysia will host more than 300 key meetings and programs. The country also plans to focus on several key initiatives, including advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), renewable energy, healthcare, and tourism.

A major highlight of Malaysia's chairmanship will be the hosting of the inaugural ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Plus China Summit in May 2025. Additionally, the country will oversee various meetings between ASEAN leaders and partner nations.

Malaysia has previously held the ASEAN chairmanship in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015.

ASEAN consists of 10 member states: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

With a combined population of over 700 million and a total area of 4.5 million square kilometres, ASEAN is the world’s fifth-largest economy, with a gross domestic product (GDP) of $3.8 trillion in 2023.

By Tamilla Hasanova