Taking place over two days, June 9 and 10, in Hanoi, on the theme “Shaping a shared future together: peace, prosperity and a people-centered approach”, the ASEAN Future Forum 2026 is an event important multilateral framework in foreign policy, which once again confirms Vietnam’s proactive and responsible role in promoting regional cooperation.
Speaking to a VNA reporter in Phnom Penh about the regional forum recently held in Hanoi, Dr. Gnel Rattha, chairman of the Cambodia-Russia Business Association and an expert in international geopolitics and economics, said the forum, held in Vietnam’s initiative, constituted a major advance in the diplomacy of political parties, moving from a bilateral approach to a multilateral approach.
According to him, it is a large-scale multilateral event with an innovative, in-depth and systematic program, which can serve to promote the role of young people and the private sector.
A Cambodian expert believes that AFF 2026 testifies to Vietnam’s capacity to pursue an independent and autonomous foreign policy, and to integrate more and more deeply into the international scene. The forum’s agenda also illustrates Vietnam’s organizing capacity as host country, expanding the dialogue beyond the government level to bring together representatives from major ASEAN cities, youth and private sector players.
According to the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in its speech delivered during the opening session of the third Africa Forum on the theme “Shaping a shared future together: peace, prosperity and “people-centered development”, Prime Minister Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet stressed that peace remains an indispensable foundation for the stability and development of the region, and called for strengthened dialogue and cooperation, as well as a peaceful settlement of disputes based on international law.
From the point of view of Gnel Rattha, an expert in international geopolitics and economics, the intervention and speech of Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet during the opening session of the forum aroused particular interest. According to him, this testifies to the more proactive and constructive role that Cambodia plays on regional issues.
The Chairman of the Cambodia-Russia Business Association believes that the participation, for the first time, of the head of the Royal Government of Cambodia in the ASEAN Forum is an opportunity for Phnom Penh to affirm its commitment not only to bilateral interests, but also to a long-term vision to address common ASEAN issues such as change climate, security, stability and inclusive development.
According to Dr Gnel Rattha, Phnom Penh can also benefit from the AFF’s energy technology and security program. Describing this regional forum as a “laboratory of innovative ideas”, he believes that this year’s program focuses on issues such as the governance of artificial intelligence (AI), financial technologies and energy security. Through this, Cambodia can attract more investment, knowledge and expertise from the international network of experts, businesses and academics present at the event.
Furthermore, according to the Cambodian expert, the economy and security are also important aspects of the ASEAN Forum (AFF). Mr. Gnel Rattha emphasized: “This is the third forum initiated and organized by Vietnam in Hanoi, dedicated to the future of ASEAN. Therefore, promoting Cambodia’s role within this forum will help foster solutions to increase bilateral trade and strengthen infrastructure connectivity.
As part of AFF 2026, a seminar titled “The Role of Southeast Asian Political Parties in Building the ASEAN Community” was held on June 8. This event is considered an important milestone for the regional cooperation process, as it marks the first time that political parties in Southeast Asia have a specialized forum to meet and exchange views.
Speaking to a VNA reporter, Dr. Gnel Rattha said that the seminar contributed to the formation of a multi-directional dialogue channel based on promoting the role of diplomacy of political parties, thus creating a new stage in expanding cooperation from a bilateral framework to a multilateral framework.
According to him, Cambodia can take advantage of this forum to consolidate its political network and strengthen its strategic ties with political parties in the region, particularly with Vietnam. This would also constitute useful preparation for future regional and international cooperation activities.
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On the occasion of AFF 2026, a Cambodian expert in international geopolitics and economics also spoke about Vietnam’s increasingly important role within ASEAN. According to him, in recent years, Vietnam has asserted its position as a medium-sized country with growing influence in the region.
Source : https://www.vietnamplus.vn/aff-2026-buoc-dot-pha-trong-ngoai-giao-chinh-dang-da-phuong-post1115923.vnp
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