The year 2021 marks the beginning of a new decade of action in fulfilling the two regions’ joint commitment to promoting sustainable development through the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

The newly signed strategic partnership between the two regions is a further testament to the commitment of the EU and ASEAN to deepen existing cooperation.

The 2nd ASEAN-EU Dialogue on Sustainable Development: Towards Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, held in Brussels on 10 February 2020, highlighted the need for enhanced cooperation to tackle the global challenges of climate change and environmental degradation.

The EU reaffirmed its commitment to addressing these issues by launching three new programmes with a total funding of €13 million: Smart Green ASEAN Cities, Regional ASEAN Forest Governance and Supreme Audit Institutions.