The statement was made during the ASEAN Joint Foreign and Economic Ministers Meeting, held on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
“ASEAN is currently negotiating the ASEAN-Canada FTA, and Indonesia expects the process can be finalized in 2026,” he said in a press release here on Sunday.
According to him, moving forward, ASEAN should also explore new partnerships with strategic partners such as the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to strengthen regional economic diversification.
He emphasized the importance of deepening and expanding economic partnerships through accession processes to complement the benefits of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
RCEP is a milestone in strengthening regional economic integration while providing opportunities for inclusive, sustainable, and highly competitive growth in the Asia-Pacific, he added.
Santoso also stressed the need to encourage the utilization and modernization of ASEAN Plus One FTAs and the importance of strengthening cross-pillar coordination between economic and security sectors to address global geoeconomic and geopolitical dynamics.
“This coordination ensures ASEAN remains responsive, adaptive, and proactive amid increasingly complex global dynamics,” he said.
The meeting also welcomed the 2025 ASEAN Geoeconomics Report (AGR) by the ASEAN Geoeconomics Task Force (AGTF), which provides analysis and recommendations as a roadmap for collective ASEAN economic resilience.
Indonesia actively contributed to the report, reflecting shared understanding and agreement among ASEAN member states to maintain an open and outward-oriented region.
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Translator: Alatas, Kenzu
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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