The European Union (EU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) forged their diplomatic ties in 1977 and elevated them to a strategic partnership in December 2020 to strengthen their economic cooperation, security cooperation, sustainable connectivity, and sustainable development, reiterating their support for an effective and sustainable multilateralism.
The upgrade of the ASEAN-EU relationship took place amidst a growing rivalry between the US and China and an increasing distrust in global institutions, which has weakened the rules-based international order. While ASEAN and the EU share many similarities such as being two regional organisations founded to create a peaceful and prosperous environment in their region, there have been several points of misalignment such as their approach to democracy and human rights. Will ASEAN and the EU be able to work in concert to effectively face common challenges despite an increasingly complex and contested international environment? What are the prospects and likely forms of their enhanced cooperation?
For an engaging conversation on this topic, join us for the 11th Counterpoint Southeast Asia public webinar on 11 June 2024, which asks, “
Does the ASEAN-EU partnership play a pivotal role in sustaining multilateralism?”. Three analysts from the region will provide their unique perspectives on this question.
Dr Yeo Lay Hwee is a Senior Fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, Vice-Chair of the ASEAN Chamber of Commerce-EU and a “roving” lecturer. She is a Senior Adjunct Fellow at the RSIS and teaches a course on EU and Contemporary European Security. She also teaches part-time at NUS and SMU.
Mr Matteo Piasentini is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Political Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, where he is also pursuing his doctoral studies in Political Science and International Relations. He holds a Master’s degree in Law at the University of Padua (Italy) with a specialization in International Law. He is a former Official at the Italian Ministry of Defense, currently residing in Manila. He is also an analyst of the China and Indo-Pacific desk at Geopolitica, an Italian think-tank.
Mr Aniello Iannone is an expert in Indonesian studies within the fields of Political Science and International Relations. Currently, he is pursuing a PhD in Social Sciences with a concentration in International Relations at Airlangga University in Surabaya. In addition, Aniello serves as a lecturer in the Department of Government and Political Studies at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at Diponegoro University, Semarang. He is also actively engaged as a columnist, speaker, and participant in various media and events.
Counterpoint Southeast Asia is a webinar and policy brief series that tackles strategic and complex questions facing Southeast Asia by presenting the perspectives of regional academics and policy experts. It is organised by the Centre on Asia and Globalisation, LKYSPP, NUS.
