With the accession of Timor-Leste, he said, the collective spirit of the regional organization known as ASEAN had been “strengthened”, making the bloc an essential partner in shaping “a more balanced and interconnected world”.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations now has 11 full members, along with partners including China, India, the European Union, Russia and Australia.
The UN, for its part, has a comprehensive partnership framework with the bloc, as well as joint action plans.
Peace, Myanmar and regional stability
Guterres outlined four areas of deepening collaboration: peace and prevention; sustainable development and financial justice; Climate action and digital transformation.
He praised ASEAN countries for their strong contributions to regional peacekeeping and mediation efforts.
The UN chief praised Malaysia for helping facilitate a ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand and reiterated the importance of dialogue and restraint in the South China Sea to uphold international law and freedom of navigation.
Regarding Myanmar, the Secretary-General condemned the current violence and described the humanitarian situation as “appalling”.
“Thousands are dead. Millions displaced. Humanitarian needs are increasing,” he said, calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities, the protection of civilians and “the release of those arbitrarily detained, including democratically elected leaders.”
He reaffirmed UN support for the 2021 ASEAN Five-Point Consensus to resolve Myanmar’s protracted conflict following the coup, and for the Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire that same year.
A fairer financial system
The Secretary-General also made a strong call to review what he described as an “obsolete and unfair” global financial architecture that leaves developing nations “excluded from prosperity.”
“It is time for reforms,” he said, noting that ASEAN economies remain underrepresented in global financial institutions despite their growing economic weight.
Climate change target ‘on life support’
In his keynote address, the Secretary-General warned that the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels “is on life support”, urging both developed and developing nations to step up climate ambition ahead of COP30 in Brazil next month.
On digital transformation, he underlined the UN’s commitment to ensuring that artificial intelligence serves humanity.
standing together
In a press conference after the Summit, Guterres said ASEAN “offers a vision of hope” amid global uncertainty.
“The United Nations is proud to be a partner of ASEAN,” he said, “as we work to ensure a better and more peaceful future for the people of the Southeast Asian region and around the world.”