The EU Delegation to ASEAN is organising a conference on ‘Navigating Complexities: Building Regional Trust and Stability in the South China Sea’ on 25 September in Jakarta.

As tension in the maritime areas continues to grow, the event will gather maritime experts and policy-makers to deliberate upon the pursuit of peaceful dispute resolution in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

A key topic for discussion will focus on how the EU and ASEAN can enhance their strategic partnership in fostering mutual trust and confidence for the regional order.

Keynote speeches will be delivered by senior diplomats and officials from the EU – including EU Ambassador to ASEAN H.E. Mr Sujiro Seam and European External Action Service's Special Envoy for the Indo-Pacific Mr Richard Tibbels – and its partners in ASEAN.

Former foreign ministers are expected alongside scholars such as Emeritus Professor Carl Thayer of the University of New South Wales; Captain Gurpreet Singh Khurana, Visiting Professor at the Naval War College, Goa; and Dr Amitav Acharya, Professor at American University, Washington, DC.

As underscored in the EU-Indo Pacific Strategy, the EU and Indo-Pacific countries have a stake in each other's security and prosperity. The EU also supports the ASEAN-led process towards an effective and legally binding Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, which should not prejudice the interests of third parties.

A separate closed-door session for invited guests will be held on 26 September.

Registration for the conference on 25 September is now possible by scanning the QR code below or by clicking here.