The ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) 2026 will take place in Hanoi on 9-10/6, marking the first major high-level multilateral foreign affairs event hosted by Vietnam since the 14th Party Congress.

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Manh Cuong announced today that the event's theme, "Peace, Prosperity, and People-Centered Development," accurately reflects the core priorities that ASEAN and the entire region are pursuing, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Peace is a prerequisite for development, prosperity is a common objective for all member nations, and placing people at the center is the overarching spirit of the ASEAN community. The future of the region cannot be shaped without the participation of its people, who are both the architects and beneficiaries of the cooperation process.

“Therefore, this year's forum is designed as an open and broad dialogue space, where not only leaders, but also scholars, businesses, youth, civil society organizations, and representatives of political parties and localities will contribute their voices,” the Deputy Foreign Minister stated.

At the Shangri-La Dialogue 2026, General Secretary and President To Lam delivered a keynote speech, emphasizing the necessity of building an open, inclusive, and ASEAN-centered regional structure.

The General Secretary and President also noted that ASEAN's central role is not inherent but must be strengthened through unity, strategic autonomy, and the capacity to shape a common agenda.

AFF 2026 serves as a continuation and concretization of this spirit at the regional dialogue level. The forum provides a platform for ASEAN and its partners to discuss how to maintain the bloc's position in a volatile strategic environment, ensuring that all new initiatives and mechanisms are mutually reinforcing and do not undermine ASEAN's central role.

Vietnam's initiative and consistent organization of a forum like AFF, coupled with its proactive and responsible participation in regional and international mechanisms, clearly demonstrate the spirit of an active and responsible member. This approach is precisely how Vietnam makes practical contributions to the overall peace, stability, and development of the region.

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Manh Cuong. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Through its two previous editions in 2024 and 2025, many ideas and initiatives from the forum have been incorporated and reflected in the documents of the ASEAN Summits held in the same years. This demonstrates that AFF is not merely a venue for academic exchange but truly offers practical support for ASEAN's official processes.

This year, the forum takes place at a time when ASEAN is implementing the ASEAN Community Vision 2045. It is also the first major high-level multilateral foreign affairs event hosted by Vietnam since the 14th Party Congress, the 16th National Assembly elections, and People's Councils at all levels.

“We anticipate that AFF 2026 will contribute many practical perspectives, initiatives, and policy recommendations for the ASEAN Community building process. Through the forum, Vietnam aims to continue demonstrating its role as a proactive, active member, contributing responsibly to the common work of the region, thereby successfully implementing the Party and State's foreign policy and international integration strategy,” the Deputy Foreign Minister added.

Ngoc Anh