ASEAN Regional Forum:
The External Affairs Minister said the ASEAN Regional Forum remains an important platform for discussions on political and security issues in the Indo-Pacific.
- Established in 1994, it is an important platform for security dialogue in the Indo-Pacific.
- It provides a setting in which members can discuss current security issues and develop cooperative measures to enhance peace and security in the region.
- Objectives of the ASEAN Regional Forum:
- To foster constructive dialogue and consultation on political and security issues of common interest and concern; and
- To make significant contributions to efforts towards confidence-building and preventive diplomacy in the Asia-Pacific region.
- The ARF is characterised by consensus-based decision-making and frank dialogue.
- It comprises 27 members: the 11 ASEAN member states, 10 ASEAN Dialogue Partners (Australia, Canada, China, the European Union (EU), India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Russia and the United States) and other members.
- The ARF is chaired by the ASEAN Chair of that year.
