The Future Of ASEAN As A Regional Organization

With the exception of the European Union(EU),the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN)is certainly the most successful example of a regional grouping in the world.Comprising of ten states in a region that is typified by an extensive difference of ethnicities with different norms,values,religions and languages,ASEAN has successfully attained economic success and peace in a region that has a rich history of colonialism.Although its initial establishment and potential role and influence were undermined by external observers,ASEAN has definitely proven its doubters wrong throughout its 50-year existence,with the Association managing to adjust to the varying circumstances in geopolitics and economics,becoming a calming force in advocating peace and security,as well as helping to boost the economic growth of its members.In addition to this,ASEAN,as a regional organization,also saw a milestone in its integration process,with the establishment of the ASEAN Community in 2015,which is based on three pillars pertaining to economy,political-security,and socio-culture.However,in spite of these successes,the integration process in ASEAN still goes through much debate by external observers and scholars alike,and rightfully so.This is because the integration process in ASEAN has been mainly steered by the self-interests of states,such as sovereignty,security,and regime survival,instead of a shared goal of regional integration.Deeper forms of integration in the region,such as the establishment of the AFT A and the ASEAN Community,although showing the steps ASEAN has taken to integrate its members,have been considerably limited with the Association still upholding the same principles that guided it through the 20th to the 21st century.For example,in terms of the principle of conflict avoidance,although ensuring stability in the short term,these unresolved conflicts have the potential to destabilize integration in the future,thus weakening ASEAN in the process.Furthermore,the principles of' The ASEAN Way'in the decision-making process in ASEAN,as well as the absence of a need to increase the level of institutionalization in the Association,indicate that the path forward for ASEAN integration looks bleak.Creating an integrated region is absolutely vital for the relatively smaller ASEAN states to develop and have more influence on the world stage,politically and economically.However,it remains to be seen whether integration in the region will move forward or remain stagnant.Of course,the establishment of the ASEAN Community in 2015 was a milestone in integration in the region,and it is still too soon to see the outcomes of it,thus debates against the integration process in ASEAN may be premature.In addition,ASEAN also may take a different route to that of other regional groupings like the EU,and still be successful,thus it may be unfair to make comparisons and justifications between the two,as time is the only factor that will tell if the integration process in ASEAN is successful or not.