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Southeast Asia welcomed an estimated 144 million international visitors in 2025, a 13.4% increase from the previous year. Photo credit: ADB.
Article
25 February 2026

When Second Is Best: How ASEAN Is Tackling Overtourism

Developing secondary destinations provides a way to spread the benefits of tourism while easing pressure on primary attractions.
On 4 February, the ASEAN Secretariat and ADB organized a joint consultative meeting with the BIMP-EAGA Facilitation Centre, the Centre for the IMT-GT, and the GMS Secretariat in Jakarta. From left: Jason Rush, principal regional cooperation specialist at ADB; Alfredo Perdiguero, head of Regional Cooperation and Integration at ADB’s Southeast Asia Department; and ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General for ASEAN Economic Community Satvinder Singh. Photo courtesy of the ASEAN Secretariat.
News
23 February 2026

ASEAN Secretariat, ADB Convene Joint Consultation Meeting with BIMP-EAGA, IMT-GT, and GMS Secretariats

Increased collaboration and coordination in agriculture, energy, and tourism is being explored.
ASEAN is home to nearly 700 million people and is now the world’s 5th largest economy and on track to become the 4th largest by 2030. Photo credit: ADB.
Article
19 February 2026

The Philippines’ ASEAN 2026 Chairship: Steering the Region toward Greater Resilience, Connection, and Change

Themed 'Navigating Our Future, Together,' the 2026 chairship is rooted in ASEAN’s founding values of peace, stability, and inclusive growth.
Realising a Confident Digital Society: Spotlight on Southeast Asia cover.
Publication
16 February 2026

Realising a Confident Digital Society: Spotlight on Southeast Asia

This report examines the concept of a confident digital society and offers policy recommendations to advance sustainable and empowered digital societies.
ASEAN seeks to promote Southeast Asia as a single, seamless, and high-quality destination through data-driven, audience-centered, and digitally enabled regional marketing initiatives. Photo credit: ADB.
Article
2 February 2026

12 Things to Know: Tourism and Travel in Southeast Asia

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 member states and ADB conducted an information session on energy resilience on the sidelines of the recent ASEAN Special Senior Officials’ Meeting on Energy in Bohol, Philippines.
News
29 January 2026

Securing an Energy-Resilient Future for ASEAN

Senior energy officials explore a common agenda for insulating energy systems from instability and climate and supply chain shocks.
Across ASEAN, electricity demand is set to almost double by 2040, driven by economic growth, industrialization, and urbanization. Photo credit: ADB.
Article
28 January 2026

Bridging Borders for a Cleaner Future: ASEAN’s Next Leap in Cross-Border Power Trade

In today’s world, energy security is no longer just about having enough fuel within one’s borders—it is about building systems that are interconnected, resilient, and low-carbon.
Mobilizing green finance to support a just transition. ADB partnered with JICA and other international lenders to provide green loans to the Lotus Wind Power Project in Viet Nam. Photo credit: ADB.
Article
14 January 2026

Solutions Are on the Horizon for Southeast Asia’s Hard-to-Abate Sectors

Coordinated regional action can accelerate technology adoption and interoperability and mobilize transition finance.
cover-adbi-how-can-southeast-asia-s-air-transport-sector-and-governments-work-together-expand
Publication
9 January 2026

How Can Southeast Asia’s Air Transport Sector and Governments Work Together to Expand Aviation Sustainably in the Region?

Reforming airport and air navigation infrastructure investment and regulation can improve aviation performance and better support Asia’s sustainable development.
In October 2024, ASEAN member states endorsed the ASEAN Declaration on Plastic Circularity, signaling a regional commitment to systematic change. Photo credit: iStock/piotr_malczyk
Article
24 December 2025

Beyond Traditional Funding: Can ASEAN Innovate Its Way Out of the Plastic Crisis?

Resolving the problem entails aligning environmental goals with economic and financial systems capable of delivering large-scale impact.
ADB President Masato Kanda and Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. meet at Malacañang Palace. Photo credit: ADB.
News
22 December 2025

ADB President Pledges Comprehensive Program to Support Philippines as ASEAN 2026 Chair

ADB is planning a comprehensive package of support to help the Philippines deliver regional outcomes under the ASEAN 2026 theme of “Navigating our Future Together.”
Consumer interest in AI Southeast Asia is three times higher than the global average. Photo credit: iStock/Thicha Satapitanon
News
10 December 2025

ASEAN’s Digital Economy to Top $300 Billion

The 10th edition of the Google, Temasek, and Bain report expands coverage from six to 10 Southeast Asian markets.
The signing of the Declaration on the Admission of Timor-Leste into ASEAN took place at the opening ceremony of the 47th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits on 26 October 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Photo credit: ASEAN Secretariat.
News
11 November 2025

Timor-Leste Joins ASEAN

Accession to ASEAN will unlock new opportunities in trade, investment, and private sector development.
Event
5 November 2025

Scaling What Works: Private Sector Development as Catalyst for Growth in Southeast Asia

This webinar explores how ADB is strengthening private sector development and capital mobilization across Southeast Asia.
Decarbonising ASEAN's Hard to Abate and High Emitting Sectors: Transition Finance, Technologies, and Policy Approaches
Publication
4 November 2025

Decarbonising ASEAN's Hard to Abate and High Emitting Sectors: Transition Finance, Technologies, and Policy Approaches

The joint report by ERIA, ADB, and METI examines the current landscape, identifies challenges, and highlights emerging practices for mobilizing transition finance within the region's unique energy, financial, and industrial contexts.