ASEAN Chief Urges Commercial Drive in Russia Ties

KAZAN, June 17, 2026 (KPT) — ASEAN Secretary‑General Kao Kim Hourn has called on businesses in Southeast Asia and Russia to inject “commercial ambition” into their partnership, urging economic cooperation to move beyond diplomatic frameworks.

Speaking at the ASEAN–Russia Business Forum in Kazan, held alongside the commemorative summit marking 35 years of dialogue relations, Kim Hourn said global shifts in trade, technology and supply chains were opening new opportunities for collaboration.

He noted that ASEAN and Russia became full dialogue partners in 1996 and elevated ties to a strategic partnership in 2018, but stressed that greater emphasis was now needed on translating institutional cooperation into tangible commercial outcomes.

“The work of this Forum is to identify where the commercial opportunities are real and how we move from institutional frameworks to transactions that deliver results,” he said.

Kim Hourn highlighted ASEAN’s fast‑growing digital and manufacturing hub of nearly 700 million people, alongside Russia’s strengths in energy, agriculture, industry and technology.

Two‑way trade reached $17.8 billion in 2025, which he described as “modest” compared with the potential of both economies.

He identified four priority areas for future cooperation: energy, food security, supply chain connectivity and digital transformation.

Kao said the next phase of ASEAN–Russia relations must focus on private‑sector partnerships and investment, adding: “Governments can set the conditions, but it is companies that drive economic growth and transformation.”