ASEAN-Russia need to expand cooperation in strategic fields

ASEAN and Russia need to broaden their collaboration across various strategic sectors, including food security, energy, digital technology, education, and talent development, according to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar stressed the importance of this expanded cooperation as the world grapples with geopolitical uncertainty, supply chain disruptions, and escalating technological competition. He stated that nations must strengthen their partnerships rather than acting in isolation to confront these challenges.

"ASEAN has proven itself to be among the most dynamic and resilient economic regions, based on openness, inclusivity, and cooperation," Anwar said in a statement. "In the same spirit, ASEAN and Russia have great potential to expand cooperation in strategic fields."

He welcomed the development of the ASEAN-Russia Strategic Program on Trade and Investment Cooperation 2026-2035, anticipating it will bolster trade, investment, and economic ties between the two entities. Anwar reiterated ASEAN's commitment to an open, fair, and rules-based trading system. "In an increasingly uncertain world, economic resilience must be strengthened without sacrificing the spirit of cooperation," he added.

Anwar also referenced the Tatarstan poet Abdullah Tukay, quoting that true happiness is achieved through service to the people. This, he said, serves as a reminder that the primary goal of all economic policies and cooperation should be to enhance public well-being. "All understandings reached must be translated into actions that generate opportunities, create prosperity, and bring tangible benefits to the people," he concluded.