Senior officials from ASEAN Member States and the United Kingdom came together on 10th April, 2025 in Da Nang, Viet Nam for the 4th ASEAN-UK Senior Officials’ Meeting (AUKSOM), reaffirming their commitment to bolstering cooperation across a wide range of sectors under the ASEAN-UK Dialogue Partnership.
The meeting, 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 for the Indo-Pacific and ASEAN SOM Leader of the UK, marked a significant milestone in the evolving ASEAN-UK relationship. Delegates from ASEAN Member States, the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Political-Security Community, and officials from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) participated in the meeting. Timor-Leste also joined as an observer.
Both ASEAN and the UK expressed satisfaction with the strong implementation of the ASEAN-UK Plan of Action (POA) 2022–2026. With nearly 95 per cent of its initiatives either completed or in progress, the POA has proven to be a robust framework for collaboration. Officials agreed that this progress sets a solid foundation for developing a successor document to further deepen the partnership beyond 2026.
The two sides discussed areas of mutual interest under the three pillars of the ASEAN Community: political-security, economic, and socio-cultural. Under the political-security pillar, ASEAN and the UK reaffirmed their intent to work closely on maritime security, cybersecurity, transnational crime, and counterterrorism. Special attention was given to emerging frameworks such as Women, Peace and Security and Youth, Peace and Security.
In the economic domain, the UK and ASEAN committed to enhance cooperation in digital transformation, artificial intelligence, science and innovation, financial services, and supply chain resilience. Green finance, energy transition, business-to-business ties, and women’s economic empowerment were also highlighted as key areas of future collaboration.
On the socio-cultural front, the partners pledged to strengthen joint efforts in education and skills development, climate change response, public health, and disaster risk reduction. Cultural and creative economy initiatives, along with people-to-people and youth exchanges, were recognised as vital to fostering mutual understanding and long-term partnership.
Cross-pillar cooperation was also emphasised, with both sides acknowledging shared priorities in smart cities, sustainable urban development, waste management, and advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The implementation of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) and efforts to narrow development gaps within the region were also discussed as crucial undertakings.
A notable highlight of the meeting was the reaffirmation of support for the ASEAN-UK Joint Ministerial Statement on Connectivity. Delegates praised Viet Nam and the UK for successfully co-hosting the ASEAN-UK Connectivity Dialogue, which took place immediately following the AUKSOM meeting. The dialogue served as a key step in operationalising the ministerial statement and translating strategic commitments into concrete initiatives.
Looking beyond the current framework, officials expressed anticipation for the fifth anniversary of the ASEAN-UK Dialogue Partnership in 2026. Both sides intend to mark the occasion with meaningful activities that celebrate the growth of their strategic engagement.
The meeting concluded with an exchange of views on pressing regional and global developments. Both ASEAN and the UK reiterated their shared commitment to multilateralism and support for the ASEAN-led regional architecture. They also emphasised continued alignment with the principles outlined in the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).
The outcomes of the 4th AUKSOM reflect a maturing and mutually beneficial relationship, as both ASEAN and the UK continue to chart a path of cooperation built on shared values, common goals, and enduring diplomatic ties.
