MANILA: Asean must guard its rich biodiversity against exploitation and misappropriation by external parties, as protecting the region's natural resources is not merely an environmental concern but also a matter of sovereignty, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim
The Prime Minister said regional countries have a collective responsibility to strengthen governance and ensure that their biodiversity resources are used sustainably and equitably.
"We thus have a responsibility to strengthen regional governance, ensure the sustainable and equitable use of its biodiversity resources, and safeguard them against external exploitation and misappropriation.
"Protecting Asean’s biodiversity is not merely an environmental imperative, but also a matter of regional sovereignty," he said during his intervention at the plenary session of the 49th Asean Summit here on Sunday (Nov 15).
Anwar said Malaysia had advanced proposals on Science Diplomacy and a Sustainable Haze Fund through the Sub-Regional Ministerial Steering Committee (MSC) meeting framework to strengthen regional environmental cooperation.
He said the initiatives were aimed at improving scientific collaboration, promoting evidence-based decision-making and securing sustainable financial support for the implementation of the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP).
Malaysia, he added, looked forward to advancing these priorities at the upcoming Conference of the Parties to the AATHP in December and through its chairmanship of the MSC in 2027.
Beyond environmental protection, Anwar also stressed the importance of safeguarding Asean's strategic autonomy as the region navigates increasingly complex geopolitical relationships.
He said the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) this year should serve as an opportunity for Asean to reaffirm the principles underpinning regional peace and cooperation.
"By requiring our partners to commit to the fundamental principles of the Treaty, we ensure that our relationships grow on Asean's terms - safeguarding our region as a platform for cooperation, not a theatre for rivalry," he said.
Anwar said Asean must continue engaging major powers constructively while maintaining the unity, centrality and autonomy that have long guided the regional grouping.
