Under Malaysia’s 2025 chairmanship, the 46th Asean Summit at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) convened regional leaders amid mounting geopolitical and economic headwinds.

The summit underscored a renewed focus on deepening economic integration, safeguarding regional stability and championing sustainable development.

Against a backdrop of intensifying global uncertainties — from trade frictions to climate risks — Asean leaders laid out pragmatic strategies and forged new partnerships to secure the region’s future.

Here is an overview of the key outcomes and discussions that defined this critical summit.

Asean foreign ministers' meeting

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan opened the Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) by urging member states to stand united in the face of global challenges, including the US–China trade war, climate change and rapid technological disruption.

Stressing the importance of Asean Centrality, he called for deeper regional economic integration and fairer intra-Asean trade to close income gaps and build resilience.

He also addressed humanitarian crises in Gaza and Myanmar, emphasising Asean’s moral responsibility to uphold peace and justice. Malaysia’s theme of “Inclusivity and Sustainability” was reinforced throughout, laying the groundwork for the adoption of Asean Community Vision 2045.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan waving towards the media members during the opening of the 46th ASEAN- Summit at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on May 26.–AZMAN GHANI/The Star

Asean-GCC-China Summit embraces multipolar cooperation

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim described the inaugural Asean-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)-China Summit as a key moment for advancing collaboration in a rapidly evolving, multipolar world.

The summit brought together regions with a combined population of over two billion and an economic scale nearing US$25 trillion. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the summit was expected to align with Asean’s aspiration to play a greater role in shaping the Indo-Pacific’s geo-economic landscape.

Leaders focused on strengthening cooperation in trade, investment and sustainable development—underscoring the alliance’s potential to contribute to regional stability, inclusivity and shared prosperity.

Timor-Leste's Asean membership confirmed

In a historic move, Asean leaders agreed to grant Timor-Leste full membership at the next summit in October 2025, increasing the bloc to 11 countries.

Timor-Leste’s progress in meeting membership criteria, reflects Asean’s expanding inclusivity.

Having been an observer since 2022, Timor-Leste is preparing to fully integrate into Asean’s economic, political and social frameworks.

Asean unveils 20-year strategic roadmap

At the 46th Asean Summit, leaders adopted and signed the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on Asean 2045: Our Shared Future.

This 20-year roadmap aims to guide Asean in navigating global megatrends while reinforcing its role as a resilient, innovative and people-centred regional community.

The vision is built around six core documents, including strategic plans across political-security, economic, socio-cultural and connectivity.

It sets out strategic directions and expected outcomes aimed at deepening regional integration, advancing sustainability and strengthening institutional effectiveness.

Asean 2045 reaffirms the bloc’s commitment to placing people at the heart of its agenda, while preparing to be a global growth hub in the Indo-Pacific.

With clear targets and an implementation framework, the roadmap ensures that Asean remains relevant, responsive and united in the face of future challenges.

Timor-Leste Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao giving sweets to members of the media.— AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star.

Awes 2025: Empowering women for Asean's economic future

The inaugural Asean Women’s Economic Summit (Awes) 2025 spotlighted the pivotal role of women in driving the region’s economic transformation.

Under the theme “Empowering Women, Energising Asean: Pioneering Economic Integration for a Resilient Tomorrow,” the summit featured strategic dialogues, leadership workshops and mentoring programmes.

These initiatives aim to position women at the forefront of Asean’s economic integration, especially amid global challenges such as trade tensions and digital disruption.

Awes 2025 sets a robust agenda for gender equality, reinforcing its centrality in building a resilient and innovative Asean economy.

Economic milestone: Asean advances trade and energy integration

At the summit, member states concluded negotiations on significant upgrades to two key trade agreements: the Asean-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) 3.0 and the Asean Trade in Goods Agreement (Atiga).

These enhancements aim to deepen intra-regional trade, strengthen supply chains and boost investment flows, with formal signings anticipated at the 47th Asean Summit in October.

Concurrently, Asean made strides in energy cooperation by finalising an Enhanced Memorandum of Agreement on the Asean Power Grid (APG).

This initiative seeks to bolster regional energy security, connectivity, and sustainability, reflecting Asean’s commitment to integrated growth and resilience amid evolving global trade dynamics.

Light moment - Gusmao's sweet surprise for journalists

Timor-Leste’s Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao brought a sweet break to the intense Asean-GCC Summit by offering candies to the waiting journalists, joking, “Take it, you’ve waited so long.”

The unexpected gesture delighted and surprised the media, providing a brief but much-appreciated moment of warmth amid a busy schedule.