Can ASEM Remain Relevant In The 21st Century World?

2 September 2015




The EU Centre in Singapore has just published a policy brief by Dr Yeo Lay Hwee (Director, EU Centre in Singapore) entitled “Can ASEM Remain Relevant In The 21st Century World?”.

The 12th ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting (ASEM FMM12) will take place on 5-6 November 2015 in Luxembourg. This will be an important occasion as the 53 partners in the ASEM process will not only take stock of the achievements during the past two decades, but also ponder over the future direction of ASEM as they prepare for the 20th anniversary of ASEM that will be celebrated in Mongolia next year.

This timely policy brief tries to address the question on how ASEM can move forward and remain relevant in an increasingly uncertain world by sketching some of the broad trends shaping the emerging world order, and the implications for international cooperation. Dr Yeo also argues that there is a need for ASEM to move beyond meetings to transform itself into a dynamic marketplace, leveraging on its diverse membership and fluidity to enable the building of different constellations of transnational networks to align ideas, interest and issues.