ASEAN Insights
Southeast Asia's growth and prosperity depend on deeper regional cooperation and integration, and the advancement of regional public goods. Addressing development challenges collectively through ASEAN frameworks and partnerships helps Southeast Asia respond more effectively to emerging challenges and capitalize on new growth opportunities.
In the Spotlight
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ASEAN Secretariat, ADB Convene Joint Consultation Meeting with BIMP-EAGA, IMT-GT, and GMS SecretariatsIncreased collaboration and coordination in agriculture, energy, and tourism is being explored.
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The Philippines’ ASEAN 2026 Chairship: Steering the Region toward Greater Resilience, Connection, and ChangeThemed 'Navigating Our Future, Together,' the 2026 chairship is rooted in ASEAN’s founding values of peace, stability, and inclusive growth.
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12 Things to Know: Tourism and Travel in Southeast AsiaThe ASEAN Tourism Sectoral Plan 2026–2030 is anchored on five focus areas: resilient tourism, empowered tourism workforce, accessible and seamless travel, digital transformation, and sustainable tourism.
ADB–ASEAN Cooperation
ASEAN and ADB have a long history of collaboration, with shared mandates to accelerate economic growth and reduce social inequalities. ADB’s continued support for ASEAN’s development agenda encompasses not only regional initiatives but also projects and programs at the subregional and national levels that contribute to ASEAN’s Community Vision 2045 and strategic plans.
ADB–ASEAN priority sectors include food security, energy, tourism, finance, trade, urban development, health, education, critical minerals, the blue economy, disaster risk management, and the digital economy.
Subregional Programs
Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines (BIMP-EAGA)
BIMP-EAGA aims to accelerate the socioeconomic development of marginalized and remote areas while narrowing development gaps within member countries and across the subregion.
Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS)
GMS is a natural economic area bound together by the Mekong River, covering 2.6 million square kilometers and a combined population of around 326 million.
Indonesia–Malaysia–Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT)
Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand seek to accelerate economic transformation by leveraging complementarities and comparative advantages.
Major Sectoral Initiatives
- ASEAN Infrastructure Fund
The ASEAN Infrastructure Fund is a dedicated fund established by the ASEAN member nations and ADB to address the ASEAN region's infrastructure development needs by mobilizing regional savings, including foreign exchange reserves. All ASEAN Infrastructure Fund-financed infrastructure projects are also cofinanced by ADB funds. The ASEAN Infrastructure Fund is an integral part of ASEAN’s efforts to strengthen regional connectivity. The ASEAN Catalytic Green Finance Facility (ACGF)—an initiative of the ASEAN Infrastructure Fund—was launched in April 2019 to accelerate green infrastructure investments in Southeast Asia.
- ASEAN Power Grid
ASEAN’s vision is to achieve fully integrated grid operations by 2045. The initiative will ensure a reliable energy supply, maximize the use of renewables, and support affordable electricity for more than 680 million people living in the region.
- ASEAN Climate Finance Policy Platform
Launched in 2024, this initiative will support finance ministries across Southeast Asia in taking a leading role in the battle against climate change.
- ASEAN Minerals Cooperation
ASEAN has laid out a strategy for increasing the production of minerals, particularly those used by green and advanced technologies and that are critical to the region’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
- ASEAN Integrated Food Security Framework
ASEAN aims to ensure long-term food security, food safety, and nutrition as well as improve the livelihood of farmers in the region. The Food, Agriculture and Forestry Sectoral Plan 2026–2030 envisions a sector that nurtures farmer livelihoods, safeguards the environment, contributes to climate change adaptation and mitigation, fosters innovation, and strengthens ASEAN’s role as a global trading partner.
- ASEAN Tourism Cooperation
Drawing from the ASEAN Economic Community Strategic Plan 2026–2030 and aligned with the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, The ASEAN Tourism Sectoral Plan 2026–2030 is anchored on five focus areas: resilient tourism, empowered tourism workforce, accessible and seamless travel, digital transformation, and sustainable tourism.
- ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement
Currently under negotiation, the Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) offers a roadmap for harmonizing digital trade rules and unlocking the potential of ASEAN’s digital economy.