"If we do not take action to tackle these issues, our relevance could be compromised," he noted at the meeting that was part of a series of events at the ASEAN Summit in Jakarta.
The series of the 43rd ASEAN Summit meetings took place on September 2-7, 2023, in Jakarta and is attended by 19 state leaders, including ASEAN partner countries.
In his opening speech, Mahfud highlighted that ASEAN member countries continued to face uncertainty. The strength of the ASEAN community is being challenged with crises that continue to emerge.
Internally, the insignificant progress in Myanmar left a negative mark on ASEAN. Achievements in implementing the APSC Blueprint 2025 have also been overshadowed by the lack of progress in resolving the Myanmar issue, he remarked.
Meanwhile, externally, geopolitical tensions and rivalries are also accelerating. Mahfud cautioned that this could lead to open conflict that forced the ASEAN region to face it.
He stated that the humanitarian and socio-economic impacts of the war between Russia and Ukraine must also serve as a warning.
"We should not let the same situation happen to our region and undermine the progress that ASEAN has worked for since 1967," he emphasized.
For this reason, Mahfud invited all parties to take action to address security issues in the region.
As a council mandated for political and security cooperation in ASEAN, the APSC must not lose sight of specific challenges in the region, he emphasized.
Mahfud noted that in May, ASEAN leaders had adopted the Declaration on Combating Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Caused by the Abuse of Technology.
To this end, he encouraged related sectoral bodies to implement the declaration.
"We need to ensure the prevention, prosecution of perpetrators, and victims' protection," he affirmed.
This effort is expected to not only apply to cases of human trafficking but also to the increasing threat of other transnational organized crimes, he stated.
"Crimes, such as money laundering, illicit drugs, and terrorism, can only be addressed by stronger cross-border cooperation," the minister remarked.
Hence, to this end, he also pressed for enhanced regional cooperation on border management, cross-border legal assistance, and exchange of information.
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Translator: Katriana, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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