Leaders of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) issuedthe Kuala Lumpur Declaration on a People-Oriented, People-Centred ASEANat the end of the 26th ASEAN Summit which took place in Malaysia onApril 26 and 27.

Following is the full text of the Statement.

“WE, the Heads of State/Government of Brunei Darussalam, Kingdom ofCambodia, the Republic of Indonesia, the Lao People's DemocraticRepublic, Malaysia, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Republicof the Philippines, the Republic of Singapore, the Kingdom of Thailand,and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, on the occasion of the 26th ASEANSummit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 27 April 2015;

UNDERLINING the ASEAN Charter as the basis of ASEAN's core principles and values to which we adhere;

REAFFIRMING ASEAN's establishment as a platform for common action topromote regional cooperation in Southeast Asia and the need to furtherstrengthen the existing bonds of regional solidarity and cooperation;

FURTHER REAFFIRMING the Bandar Seri BegawanDeclaration and Nay Pyi Taw Declaration on the ASEAN Community'sPost-2015 Vision which reiterate our determination to create apeople-oriented, people-centred and rules-based ASEAN, and the BaliConcord III and its Plan of Action (2013-2017), which contribute toefforts thereto;

RECOGNISING the United NationsMillennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals as well asthe upcoming United Nations Post-2015 Development Agenda, which placepeople and the planet at the centre of a new era of sustainabledevelopment;

MINDFUL of the progress achieved withinthe region and the need for managing change and transformationeffectively at the regional and global levels as well as the need toconfront challenges to promote peace, security and prosperity inSoutheast Asia;

WE HEREBY AGREE TO: Continueestablishing a people-oriented, people-centred and rules-based ASEANCommunity where all people, stakeholders and sectors of society cancontribute to and enjoy the benefits from a more integrated andconnected Community encompassing enhanced cooperation in thepolitical-security, economic and socio-cultural pillars for sustainable,equitable and inclusive development.

Political-Security

Continue to promote the principles of democracy, rule of law and goodgovernance, social justice, as well as to promote and protect humanrights and respect for fundamental freedoms; Encourage the ASEANInter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights and other Sectoral Bodiesrelated to human rights to continue to have meaningful and constructiveengagement with relevant stakeholders, including accredited civilsociety organisations, in the promotion and protection of human rightsand fundamental freedoms, in accordance with the ASEAN Human RightsDeclaration;

Further enhance judicial systems andlegal infrastructure to maintain a peaceful and harmonious environment,as well as engagement between legislative and executive branches in theprocess of the establishment of a rules-based ASEAN Community;

Continue to preserve Southeast Asia as a peaceful and prosperousregion, free of conflict, nuclear weapons and other weapons of massdestruction;

Further promote and strengthenpeace-oriented values and reconciliation in ASEAN through inclusiveengagement with all relevant stakeholders as well as enhancing andsupporting the work of the ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation(AIPR); and

Continue strengthening good governance and integrity in the public sector in ASEAN Member States.

Economic

Promote an integrated, stable, prosperous and highly cohesive regionaleconomy which encompasses all sectors of society, as well as encouragethe participation of women, the elderly and youth in building acompetitive, innovative and dynamic ASEAN;

Promotethe development of Small and Medium Enterprises as a driving force forthe ASEAN Economic Community, including providing an enablingenvironment conducive to their business activities, access to the formalfinancial system and continue promoting public-private sectorpartnership;

Encourage more engagement andinteraction between ASEAN and business leaders, including Small andMedium Enterprises, support the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI)Work Plan II and its successor documents to narrow the development gapsamong ASEAN Member States, as well as facilitate movement of businesspersons, skilled labour and talents;

Integrate theelements of health, climate change, environment, sustainable utilisationand management of natural resources, proactive disaster risk reductionand management strategies, and harmonious socio-cultural diversity inpromoting connectivity, higher productivity, sustaining economicdevelopment and building resilience in the region;

Continue capacity building initiatives to enable all ASEAN economies tofully participate in the on-going integration efforts;

Realise the vision of a competitive, inclusive, resilient andsustainable food, agriculture and forestry sector integrated with theglobal economy, based on a single-market and production basecontributing to food and nutritional security and prosperity in theASEAN Community; and

Raise awareness, promote anddevelop social business in empowering communities to generate revenueand social returns to improve the well-being and livelihood of ourpeople.

Socio-Cultural

Strengthen efforts to build a people-oriented, people-centred andsocially responsible socio-cultural community with a view to achievingenduring solidarity and unity among the ASEAN peoples by instilling ashared appreciation of cultural diversity as well as promoting thewell-being and welfare of the peoples;

Promote andprotect the rights of women, children, youth and elderly persons as wellas those of migrant workers, indigenous peoples, persons withdisabilities, ethnic minority groups, people in vulnerable situationsand marginalised groups, and promote their interests and welfare inASEAN's future agenda including through the ASEAN Community's Post-2015Vision and its attendant documents;

Alleviatepoverty and narrow the development gap by increasing access to basicneeds and work towards achieving adequate standards of living in linewith our global commitment on poverty eradication;

Ensure our people's access to clean water, clean air, basic healthcareand other social services so that they may lead healthy and productivelives and thereby contribute to the ASEAN Community;

Enhance people-to-people contacts and awareness of ASEAN identity amongyoung people by increasing youth interaction and exchanges withinASEAN;

Promote sustainable cities in ASEAN withemphasis on robust economic activities, a safe and healthy livingenvironment and eco-friendly and sustainable urban infrastructure;

Promote regional resilience by addressing socio-cultural andsocio-economic issues that may result from climate change and otherenvironmental impacts, including transboundary environmental pollution,as contained in the ASEAN Charter and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural CommunityBlueprint, through the full and effective implementation of relatedASEAN agreements;

Promote enhanced cooperation ondisaster management and emergency response to strengthen disasterresilience at all levels and reduce vulnerabilities of affectedpopulations; Ensure ASEAN's rich biological diversity is conserved andsustainably managed toward enhancing social, economic and environmentalwell-being;

Enhance cooperation in education byencouraging regional student exchanges, academic mobility and higherquality of education; and

Enhance cooperation amongASEAN Member States to create a high performing, dynamic andpeople-oriented, people-centred civil service to support a prosperousand resilient ASEAN Community.

External Cooperation

Enhance ASEAN cooperation with its dialogue partners and relevantexternal parties within the framework of ASEAN-led mechanisms in allthree pillars of the ASEAN Community that would complement regionalefforts to strengthen a people-oriented, people-centred and rules-basedASEAN.

WE are committed to the above aspirations,which shall serve as guiding principles in promoting a people-oriented,people-centred, and rules-based ASEAN."- VNA