Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs held an international press conference in Hanoi on May 26 to introduce AFF 2026.

At the event, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Manh Cuong said the forum’s theme reflects urgent requirements amid increasingly complex global geopolitical developments while also demonstrating Vietnam’s strategic vision for the ASEAN Community-building process.

He stressed that placing people at the centre is not merely a slogan but a guiding principle aimed at ensuring all segments of society benefit from development, strengthening resilience against global disruptions and leaving no one behind. AFF 2026 will be larger in scale than previous editions, featuring more than 20 activities over two days.

Ahead of the main event, a series of pre-forum activities will transpire on June 8, including a dialogue among Southeast Asian political parties, the ASEAN Cities Leadership Forum, a Mekong sub-regional roundtable, a Southeast Asian youth conference and a roundtable discussion on artificial intelligence governance.

The official opening session will be held on the morning of June 9 at Meliá Hanoi and is expected to gather senior Vietnamese leaders and leaders from several ASEAN member states.

Plenary sessions during the day will focus on ASEAN resilience and unity, conflict prevention initiatives and AI applications in ASEAN. A closed-door discussion on financial technology will also be planned later the same day.

On the second working day, the forum will hold plenary sessions on energy security and development models, along with several thematic discussions, before closing later that afternoon.

At the press briefing, Dr Nguyen Hung Son, President of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, said AFF 2026 will feature the participation of policymakers, businesses, scholars, young people, social organisations and public representatives.

According to Nguyen Hung Son, the forum is expected to serve as an “incubator” for new ideas and initiatives, thereby contributing to comprehensive solutions for common challenges facing Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific region.

Through AFF 2026, Vietnam hopes to work with ASEAN member states and partners to build a peaceful, connected, prosperous, dynamic, innovative and people-centred region.

The ASEAN Future Forum is an initiative launched by the Vietnamese Government at the ASEAN Summit in 2023 to create a platform for ASEAN leaders, ASEAN partners, researchers and international businesses to discuss and propose ideas and initiatives contributing to shaping ASEAN’s future. The forum also serves as a complementary channel to the regional bloc’s official processes.

AFF was first held in 2024 and continued in 2025, gradually affirming its role as an open and forward-looking forum.

AFF 2026 is identified as the first major high-level multilateral diplomatic event hosted by Vietnam following the success of the 14th National Party Congress, the election of the 16th National Assembly and the consolidation of key Party and State leadership positions.

Building on the success of AFF 2024 and 2025, Vietnam hopes through AFF 2026 to join ASEAN member states and partners in building a peaceful, connected, prosperous, resilient, dynamic, innovative and people-centred ASEAN.

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