With the new millennium fast approaching, the ASEAN leaders, at their First Informal Summit in 1996 in Jakarta, agreed to formulate a vision for ASEAN in the year 2020. The vision charts the course of ASEAN cooperation and covers all areas of collaboration, ranging from economic cooperation, political and security cooperation to social and cultural cooperation. It is an attempt to visualise how the peoples of ASEAN can expect their region to develop over the next 25 years, and how their lives will be enriched through the continuing cooperation of the ASEAN member countries. It is especially important too, to look towards the future and visualise the continuity of the past 30 years of ASEAN's existence and success, in view of the severe economic and social difficulties that the region now has to face, in the wake of the of the financial and economic crisis now afflicting the region. The ASEAN 2020 vision is a way for people to see beyond these problems and towards a time when the region's health and vigour will have returned once again.
The Vision 2020 is divided into three main areas: the vision of a concert of Southeast Asian nations, the vision of a partnership of dynamic development and the vision of a community of caring societies.
A Concert of Southeast Asian Nations: This part of the vision foresees an era of peace and stability, with the nations of ASEAN living in harmony and the causes of conflict eliminated. Differences will be resolved by peaceful means. The region will remain free from nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction. The vision envisages Southeast Asia's rich human and natural resources continuing to be developed, contributing towards future shared prosperity, with increasing links between the people of the region in addition to business ties.
A Partnership in Dynamic Development: This part of the vision envisages closer economic integration, with the emphasis on sustainable and equitable growth enhancing both national and regional resilience. The hope is that the gap between the differing levels of development will be narrowed, with the peoples of Southeast Asia being freed from poverty and moving towards a situation in which they share similar standards of living. This touches on all areas of economic cooperation, together with the development of human resources and the fulfilment of human potential.
A Community of Caring Societies: Here, the vision foresees Southeast Asian communities becoming aware of the ties of history and cultural heritage, and bound by a shared regional identity. ASEAN societies will all enjoy the opportunities for total human development, regardless of gender, race, religion, language, or social and cultural background. Hunger, malnutrition, deprivation and poverty will no longer be problems, and strong families will take care of their members. Disadvantaged groups will be given special support and social justice, and rule of law will be paramount. Illicit drugs will be banished. Science and technology will flourish with a large pool of qualified and trained manpower to fill the roles that this will require. The region's environment will be protected by ensuring only the sustainable development of natural resources, allowing people to enjoy a higher quality of life. Rules of behaviour will be respected and followed, and nations will be governed with the consent and greater involvement of the people, with a growing emphasis on human welfare and dignity.
Finally, the ASEAN 2020 Vision foresees the Association looking ever more outwards towards the rest of the world and playing a pivotal role on the international scene. The relationships with its dialogue partners will continue to be strengthened and based on mutual respect.