Meeting reviewed progress and identified new priorities for ASEAN-France development cooperation.
ASEAN and France reviewed progress in their development partnership and discussed new areas of practical cooperation at the Sixth ASEAN-France Development Partnership Committee (AF-DPC) Meeting, held on 4 November 2026 at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia. The meeting focused on advancing the ASEAN-France Practical Cooperation Areas (PCA) 2022–2027 and identifying initiatives to deliver tangible benefits to their peoples.
The meeting was co-chaired by H.E. Dato’ Astanah Abdul Aziz, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASEAN Political-Security Community, and H.E. Fabien Penone, Ambassador of France to ASEAN. Members of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN (CPR), or their representatives, attended alongside officials from France and the ASEAN Secretariat.
Discussions covered recent developments within ASEAN, including the outcomes of the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu and the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Manila. France also provided updates on its engagement with ASEAN, Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific, sharing its perspectives on regional and international developments.
The meeting noted progress in implementing the ASEAN-France PCA 2022–2027 since the previous AF-DPC meeting. Existing cooperation covered renewable energy and regional energy connectivity, including support for the ASEAN Power Grid, food security, forest fire and transboundary haze management, disaster management, public health and air quality.
Other areas included capacity-building, education, scholarships, people-to-people exchanges, possible visits and the creative economy. Both sides encouraged continued implementation and the development of initiatives addressing outstanding areas, including peace and reconciliation, cybersecurity, combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, information and communication technology, smart cities and narrowing the development gap.
Looking ahead, the discussions identified further opportunities in combating transnational crime, including online scams, technical and vocational education and training, digital and green finance, the circular and blue economies, climate change, environmental protection, sustainable tourism and cultural heritage protection.
The meeting also discussed opportunities to maximise synergies between the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and France’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, particularly in maritime cooperation, connectivity and sustainable development.
France welcomed its continued financial contribution to the partnership, committing a further EUR 1 million to the ASEAN-France Fund in 2026. The funding will support implementation of the PCA 2022–2027 and facilitate ongoing and new cooperation initiatives.
Source: ASEAN
