Laos To Timor-leste — ASEAN's Small States And Aspiring Member Face Big Challenges Ahead Of Summit

By Vijian Paramasivam

PHNOM PENH, Oct 23 (Bernama) --  As the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Kuala Lumpur draw global attention, ASEAN’s developing member states are poised to bring a distinct narrative to the discussions.

For years, ASEAN heavyweights have traditionally dominated the meetings, with conventional topics ranging from commerce to tariffs and regional security. 

This year, however, the summit is expected to take on a more inclusive tone, as emerging economies such as Cambodia, Laos, and Timor-Leste – an observer state awaiting full membership – each facing a gamut of socio-economic challenges, seek to have their voices heard in Kuala Lumpur.

“Small states face increasingly complex challenges shaped by great power rivalries, transnational threats and global uncertainties. 

“New issues such as climate change, cyber insecurity, economic vulnerability and strategic dependency test the resilience of smaller nations,” the Director General of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia, Dr Kin Phea, said at the “Small State Foreign Policy: Peaceful and Preventive Diplomacy” forum in Phnom Penh recently.

From the magnificent beaches of Timor-Leste to the stunning landscapes of Laos and the tourist-friendly charm of Cambodia, small states share diverse predicaments.

Climate change, energy and food security, natural disasters, the protection of women and children in volatile situations, and the wealth gap continue to afflict small nations. 

ASEAN policymakers will need to shift their focus towards broader, people-centred issues while addressing other regional and global challenges.

Protecting the Mekong River, for instance, which also flows through Cambodia and Laos, is crucial for the nearly 70 million people who rely on it for their livelihoods. 

However, the construction of upstream hydropower dams, deforestation and sand mining could destroy its rich marine resources and harm rural communities, warn environmental experts.

Cambodia faces new challenges, including border conflicts with Thailand, combatting international scam centres and dealing with rising temperatures due to climate change that can impact the health of millions of its farmers.

Neighbouring Laos, home to six million people, is no exception. The landlocked state is just recovering from several tropical storms that have devastated farmland, houses and infrastructure. 

Scam centres, human trafficking, national debt and high inflation are also troubling the nation. 

A glaring problem is in the education sector. The Lao government has had to deploy about 2,000 soldiers to rural schools this year due to a shortage of professional educators. Teachers are shying away from the profession due to poor wages and limited career growth, reported the Laotian Times. 

Timor-Leste, has its own issues –  flooding and drought that affect agricultural production and, eventually, the economy that supports its 1.4 million population. 

Almost 75 per cent of the country’s population is rural-based, relying on agriculture for livelihood. 

Rector of the National University of Timor Lorosa'e (UNTL), Professor Joao Soares Martins, said flooding and long droughts affect the society, as current mitigation and risk reduction efforts remain inadequate.

“ASEAN as a community needs to work hand in hand and support each other; the big countries help the small countries. 

“There are examples of small countries performing well economically and politically within ASEAN; for example, Singapore and Brunei. They are small but wealthy countries.

“Timor-Leste and Laos can learn from the experiences of these successful small states to direct their development,” Martins told Bernama from the nation’s capital, Dili. 

The rising digital divide, technology scarcity, and the deepening gap between the haves and have-nots are stark realities rattling some nations in Southeast Asia. 

"Smaller ASEAN nations face a multitude of challenges on multiple fronts, ranging from traditional to non-traditional security arenas. 

"Keeping these perennial and recurring challenges in mind, ASEAN needs to collaborate more comprehensively in addressing transnational challenges. 

"If ASEAN wants to emerge stronger in this phase of the digital revolution, it must address the intra-regional digital gaps,” Associate Professor Dr Rahul Mishra, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, told Bernama.

-- BERNAMA