The 2023 ASEAN chairmanship is officially assumed by Indonesia in the hope that Southeast Asia would become a stable and peaceful region, besides being an anchor for world stability, and the region should also consistently enforce international law and not become anyone's proxy.

Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – Indonesia officially assumes the 2023 ASEAN chairmanship after taking over the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations from Cambodia at the closing ceremony of the 40th and 41st Summits and other related summits at the Sokha Hotel Phnom Penh, Sunday.

Symbolically, Indonesian President Joko Widodo took over the chairmanship of ASEAN from Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen as a sign that Indonesia has assumed the 2023 ASEAN chairmanship, the Indonesian Cabinet Secretariat said in its official statement.

"It is an honor for Indonesia to assume the 2023 ASEAN chairmanship. The chairmanship of Indonesia will make ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth," he said.

The Indonesian head of state said that ASEAN must be a stable and peaceful region, besides serving as an anchor for world stability, and must also consistently enforce international law and not become anyone's proxy.

"ASEAN must be a dignified region, and uphold values of humanity ​​and democracy," the president said in his remarks.

The president also wants ASEAN to become a region with fast, inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

Enhancing the institution capacity of ASEAN is also a concern of President Joko Widodo, who hopes that the Southeast Asian organization would be able to answer challenges in the next 20 years, and that by 2045 it would be more adaptive, responsive, and competitive.

"All of this must be endeavored in the ASEAN way, which is consistent with the spirit of cooperation and fully implements the ASEAN Charter," he said.

At the end of his remarks, the head of state invited all the ASEAN leaders to attend the ASEAN Summit in Indonesia next year.

In the closing ceremony of the ASEAN Cambodia Summit, President Joko Widodo was accompanied by Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, and Minister of State Secretary Pratikno.

ASEAN was established on August 8, 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

Brunei Darussalam joined ASEAN on January 7, 1984, followed by Viet Nam on July 28, 1995, Laos and Myanmar on July 23, 1997, and Cambodia on April 23, 1999, making up what is today the ten Member States of ASEAN.

Reporting by Indonesia Window