Strengthening inter-regional diplomacy

The ARF participants commit to maintain and promote peace, stability and prosperity through confidence building measures and preventive diplomacy in the spirit of upholding the fundamental principles of international law as reflected in the UN Charter and ASEAN basic principles, and shared values and norms.

ARF wants to deepen cooperation towards a collective and effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic; advance regional recovery through effective COVID-19 vaccine rollout management and support the enhancement of ASEAN-led regional cooperation and initiatives, including the implementation of the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework and its Implementation Plan, in ensuring equitable access to safe, effective and quality-assured COVID-19 vaccines.

At the same time , ARF wishes to work jointly to encourage constructive dialogue and partnerships to build common ground for cooperation in areas of mutual concern and shared interest and peaceful settlement of international disputes.

Another promising commitment is to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would affect peace and stability, to refrain from the threat or use of force, to adhere to the principles of preventive diplomacy and to resolve differences and disputes by peaceful means in accordance with international law.

The document is future-oriented as ARF Participants (the original Declaration uses capital letter for this word) are determined to further strengthen cooperation in the response to emerging traditional and non-traditional security challenges, including through information sharing, awareness raising, as well as capacity building measures.

Moreover, ARF Participants commit to concrete and practical cooperation to address issues of common interests, with the view to build capacity, develop expertise and enhance coordination in areas that can contribute to the region's collective security objectives.

In the same context, ARF is ready to conduct more concrete and effective confidence-building measures and preventive diplomacy , so as to promote mutual respect, dialogue and consultation, and a culture of peace and non-violence, which can contribute to avoiding misunderstanding and miscalculation, promote the purposes and principles as enshrined in the ASEAN Charter, and support multilateralism founded on the principles stipulated in the Charter of the United Nations and on the basis of international law.

It is instructive to note that ARF wishes to "Support ASEAN Centrality as driving force in upholding an open, transparent and inclusive regional architecture based on the principles of international law".

Without being more specific, ARF intends to explore new possible areas of cooperation in accordance with its objective to promote mutual trust and respect and mutual benefit, thereby contributing to regional peace, stability, and long-term prosperity and sustainability.

The final operative paragraph of the analyzed document contains the crucial commitment to "Promote cooperation in peacebuilding initiatives including through encouraging the participation of women and youth in peace processes, foster the sharing of experience, best practices, capacity building, and collaboration on political and security issues of common interest and concern, including in humanitarian assistance and demining actions towards achieving peace, stability, prosperity, and sustainability in the region and beyond".

Expected implementation?

The results of the 77^th session of the United Nations General Assembly are expected to demonstrate to what extent the ARF commitments are implementable.

In a world characterized by global vulnerabilities , perplexities and discontinuities, diplomacy cannot generate miracles. It is a disturbing reality that the duty of solidarity at the inter-regional level is not treated as an imperative pre-requisite of a globalization with a human face. However, if ARF takes its mandate seriously, a moderate optimism can emerge and be visible in an unpredictable future.