GENEVA - The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has shown admirable leadership in realising the right to development for all individuals and peoples in the region by adopting the Declaration on Promoting the Right to Development and the Right to Peace Towards Realising Inclusive and Sustainable Development on 26 October 2025 at the 47th ASEAN Summit held in Kuala Lumpur, said Surya Deva, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development. He issued the following statement:
"In today's world characterised by growing economic inequalities, conflicts and the triple planetary crisis, the ASEAN Declaration affirms the importance of multilateralism to achieve inclusive and sustainable development.
Under the Declaration, ASEAN States agree to undertake proactive measures to remove barriers to equitable access to education, healthcare, food, housing, transport, communications, utilities, digital technology, law enforcement, and employment. They also agree to pursue efforts to eliminate all forms of discrimination and address inequalities, including by the fair distribution of income.
Peace is a precondition to development, while inclusive and sustainable development is essential for durable and lasting peace. The recognition of these fundamental linkages in the Declaration sends a powerful signal to countries in all world regions.
I applaud Malaysia's leadership in negotiating the landmark Declaration, which puts environmental protection and the rights of future generations at the heart of the development process.
The Declaration recognises human beings as active agents in the development process through their active, free and meaningful participation in the development process. To facilitate such participation, ASEAN States should now create enabling conditions such as access to information, free press and civic space.
In line with my 2023 report, the ASEAN Declaration acknowledges the critical role of business enterprises in advancing inclusive growth and sustainable development. ASEAN States should offer a range of incentives and disincentives to ensure that businesses internalise respect for human rights and the environment in their operations.
Almost 40 years ago, the UN Declaration on the Right to Development recognised that all human persons and all peoples are entitled to participate in, contribute to and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development.
As States negotiate an international convention on the right to development, the ASEAN Declaration provides a blueprint of how to operationalise this right at the national and regional levels. I encourage other regional intergovernmental organisations to follow suit to secure a dignified development and peace for all."
