1. ASEAN: Evolution, Challenges and Prospects
Amitav Acharya UNESCO Chair in Transnational Challenges and Governance; and Chair of the ASEAN Studies Center School of International Service American University

2. Three Parts ASEAN’s Origin and Evolution
ASEAN’s Achievements and Limitations
ASEAN’s Future Prospects

3. ASEAN’s Origins and Evolution
Established Reasons for creation:
No regional group in Southeast Asia before
Conflict-resolution: Indonesia-Malaysia conflict called Konfrontasi.
Communist rebellions (backed by China and USSR) against pro-Western governments in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Philippines
Superpower intervention during the Cold War- Indochina
Economic Nationalism and underdevelopment

4. ASEAN Members
1967: Five. Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, and Singapore
1984: Brunei
1995: Vietnam
1997: Myanmar and Laos
1999: Cambodia (ASEAN Ten)
2011: East Timor (?)

5. Characterstics of Membership
Diverse cultures: Muslim, Buddhist, Christian, Confucian
Divergent colonial history:
British (Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar)
Dutch (Indonesia)
French (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos)
Spanish/American (Philippines)
Portugese (East Timor)
Different political systems:
Military Myanmar), communist (Vietnam, Laos), soft-authoritarian (Malaysia and Singapore), stable democracy (Indonesia), unstable democracy (Thailand and Philippines)
parliamentary democracy, presidential democracy

6. ‘ASEAN Way’
Refers to the belief that to the extent possible, regional interactions among ASEAN members and between ASEAN and outside countries should be informal, non-legalistic, consensus-based and inclusive.
Relative informality of interactions
Non-legalistic cooperation
Consensus-based decision-making
Inclusivity
This approach is changing now, in the face of criticism and limitations, especially after the 1997 economic crisis

7. Achievements No major conflict among members since founding
Inclusive membership: Vietnam joining in 1995 key development
Key role in the resolution of Cambodia conflict
Engaging all the major powers of the world – China, US, Japan, India, Russia, EU) through dialogue and cooperation

8. Mixed Record
Economic Cooperation: intra-ASEAN trade still around 25% of total trade, mechanisms for financial crisis untested
Persisting Intra-ASEAN Conflicts: Thailand-Cambodia, Singapore-Malaysia, Maritime disputes
South China Sea Dispute: China, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan
Transnational Threats: Environmental degradation, Deforestation and haze problem, Piracy, Terrorism, Drug trafficking, People Smuggling, Natural disasters

9. Recent Developments Community-Building (Bali Concord II-2003)
ASEAN Economic Community (Free Trade and customs Union, investment area)
ASEAN Political-Security Community (Conflict resolution, Cooperation against common challenges such as terrorism, piracy, disaster management, etc)
ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (people’s ASEAN, caring and sharing ASEAN)
ASEAN Charter (2008)-legal personality, consolidation of treaties and agreements, compliance enforcement
East Asian Summit (2005). New reigonal architecture; Now includes US and Russia

10. Challenges for the Future
Rise of China and India, a multipolar world
Increasing burden: scope of issues, and membership, and partnerships
Sovereignty and non-Interference in an age of globalization and transnational challenges
Compliance with new rules and the Charter: National interest version regional interest
ASEAN’s unity and cohesion
- Can ASEAN’s centrality in Asian regional architecture be assured for next 20 years?
-ASEAN 2030: “Wise counsel of Asia or marginalized relic of the past”