26th ASEAN Summit concludes, regional leaders adopt three declarations

The 26th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit concluded on Monday evening with the adoption of three declarations, including the declaration on a people-centered ASEAN.

The summit, which carried the theme “Our People, Our Community, Our Vision,” was chaired by Malaysia.

At the conclusion of the summit in Langkawi, Malaysia, President Benigno S. Aquino III and his fellow Southeast Asian leaders adopted three declarations: the ‘Kuala Lumpur Declaration on a People-Oriented, People-Centered ASEAN', the ‘Langkawi Declaration on the Global Movement of Moderates’, and the ‘Declaration on Institutionalizing the Resilience of ASEAN and its Communities and Peoples to Disasters and Climate Change’.

Under the first declaration, the Southeast Asian leaders pledged to continue establishing a people-oriented, people-centered and rules-based ASEAN community, while under the declaration on the global movement of moderates, the leaders agreed to strengthen ASEAN unity and solidarity and its central role in maintaining and promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

Meanwhile, under the declaration on institutionalizing the resilience of the bloc to disasters and climate change, the leaders committed to strengthen resilience by reducing existing disaster and climate-related risks.

This year’s summit was held in Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi, Malaysia from April 26 to 28.

During the summit, President Aquino and his fellow leaders discussed, among others, the establishment of the ASEAN Community by the end of this year, its post-2015 vision, and external relations and future direction.

The 10 ASEAN member states consist of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

The summit is the association’s highest policy-making body. (PCOO News Release)