This 12 months’s ASEAN Media Forum (AMF), happening for the seventh time, highlighted the important thing role of the media within the ASEAN regional integration process. The event was held within the context of Indonesia’s 2023 ASEAN Chairmanship and the theme was “ASEAN Affairs: The Epicenter of Growth”. The forum was organized by the ASEAN Secretariat with the support of the German Federal Government through the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The event was attended by over 40 leaders from various ASEAN media.
The predominant goal of the forum was to rework the AMF right into a renowned regional platform focused on showcasing ASEAN’s challenges, potentials and issues that impact community-building efforts within the region.
The forum began with a special session with the participation of the representative of the ASEAN 2023 chairman, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, Retno LP Marsudi. During this session, Minister Marsudi touched on various critical ASEAN-related issues, including ongoing efforts regarding Myanmar, ASEAN’s role within the Indo-Pacific region, regional economic development and security, and internal and external relations. She stressed the importance of the ASEAN Media Forum as a method for leaders to have interaction with the media and supply the media with insight into behind-the-scenes decision-making processes.
In his welcome remarks, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, emphasized the numerous role of the media in raising awareness, promoting understanding and dispelling misconceptions in regards to the ASEAN integration agenda, each throughout the region and beyond. He stressed that a well-informed and engaged public is an asset as ASEAN continues to work towards greater cohesion and integration.
German Ambassador to ASEAN, Ina Lepel, also made a welcome statement, reaffirming the AMF’s priceless role in facilitating the exchange of views between ASEAN and society. She recognized that the AMF has evolved into probably the most critical stage in conveying the ASEAN story to regional media.
The media took part in two dynamic sessions with expert panelists. The first session focused on the ASEAN-Burma landscape in 2025 and featured high-profile figures comparable to former ASEAN Secretary-General Tan Sri Ajit Singh, former National Security Council of Thailand Advisor Dr Panitan Wattanayagorn and Asia Research Institute Deputy Director Maitrii Aung Thwin. The second session discussed Timor-Leste’s path to ASEAN membership and included former ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General Sayakane Sisouvong, Timor-Leste Water Utility Director Joao da Cruz Cardoso, and Research Professor on the Center for Policy Research-National Agency for Research and Innovation, Professor Dr. Devi Fortuna Anwar.
Additionally, media leaders engaged in a discussion with a senior diplomat and writer of the book “Does ASEAN Matter? A View from Inside” by Dr. Marty Natalegawa on the importance of ASEAN in the worldwide energy complex. The conversation focused on ASEAN’s ongoing efforts and best practices in maintaining and strengthening ASEAN’s centrality within the face of external challenges.
