Jakarta — ASEAN and the Netherlands reinforced their shared commitment to promoting sustainable and inclusive development during the second ASEAN-Netherlands Development Partnership Committee (AN-DPC) meeting, held at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta.
The session served as a platform for both sides to share updates and discuss key regional and global issues. ASEAN briefed the Netherlands on its current priorities, especially Malaysia’s upcoming 2025 ASEAN chairmanship, which will focus on “Inclusivity and Sustainability.” According to the ASEAN Secretariat, discussions also highlighted ASEAN’s strides in sustainable development, the growing role of the ASEAN Smart Cities Network, and progress on the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Work Plan IV.
On the Dutch side, representatives offered insights into recent developments in the Netherlands. They shared views on ongoing international dynamics, underscoring the importance of global cooperation in facing emerging challenges.
The meeting welcomed the steady progress made under the ASEAN-Netherlands Development Partnership Practical Cooperation Areas (2025–2029), a joint plan adopted earlier this year. Both parties agreed to intensify collaboration in several critical areas, ranging from maritime law and regional security to support for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), clean energy, and climate resilience.
Other key topics included food security, smart agriculture, higher education, vocational training, water management, cybersecurity, the digital and blue economies, and sustainable infrastructure—particularly in port management. The discussion also supported closer alignment with the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) priorities.
Dato’ Astanah Abdul Aziz, deputy secretary-general of ASEAN for Political-Security Community, and Marc Gerritsen, the Dutch ambassador to ASEAN, co-chaired the meeting. Also in attendance were ASEAN member states’ permanent representatives or their delegates, the Netherlands’ ambassador-at-large Aldrik Gierveld, and other senior officials. Timor-Leste participated as an observer.
This meeting marks another milestone in ASEAN and the Netherlands’ evolving development partnership, centered on shared values and mutual aspirations for a more inclusive and sustainable future.
