ASEAN Sees Stronger Ties with Canada, Indonesia Says
Jakarta. Indonesia is seeing stronger ties between ASEAN and Canada as the Southeast Asian bloc recently marked its 59th anniversary.
The Indonesia-led ASEAN Committee in Ottawa (ACO) recently held ASEAN Day dinner reception on Monday night. Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand joined as the guest of honor. This also marks the first time for a Canadian foreign minister to attend ASEAN Day celebrations in Ottawa.
According to Indonesian Ambassador to Canada Muhsin Syihab, ASEAN-Canada ties are entering a new chapter. The regional grouping and Canada had recently held a post-ministerial conference in Manila, which resulted in an action plan for the years to come. In his speech, Muhsin said that ASEAN’s greatest strength lies in collaboration and mutual trust.
"ASEAN may not be able to resolve every issue, yet it remains a balancing force by managing differences peacefully and maintaining peace not merely through a balance of power, but through a balance of trust," Muhsin said.
Anand said that Canada and ASEAN had shared common interests “in open markets, secure sea lanes, peace, and stability”.
Both sides remain committed to wrap up their free trade agreement negotiations by 2026.
ASEAN is currently Canada's fifth-largest trading partner, with two-way trade reaching CAD 52.4 billion ($37.38 billion). Canadian investments into ASEAN neared CAD 7 billion by the end of 2024, positioning Canada as the ninth-largest source of foreign investment for the bloc.
In the socio-cultural sphere, more than 1.3 million Canadians are of Southeast Asian descent. The number of students from ASEAN in Canada has doubled compared to 2019, reaching over 70,500 by the end of 2024. The year 2027 will mark a significant milestone, commemorating 50 years of the ASEAN-Canada dialogue partnership.
Indonesia will be the country coordinator for ASEAN-Canada relations for 2027-2030.
ACO is an official diplomatic forum comprising the heads of mission of ASEAN member states in Ottawa. Jakarta chairs the forum for July-December 2026.
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