EU Commends Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship, Seeks Stronger Cooperation on Human Rights and Trade
Kuala Lumpur, The Gulf Observer: The European Union (EU) has praised Malaysia’s 2025 ASEAN chairmanship, describing its leadership as “tremendous and impressive,” while expressing its commitment to deepening cooperation with the region through the promotion of human rights values in future economic and trade frameworks.
EU Special Representative for Human Rights Kajsa Ollongren, in an exclusive interview with Bernama during her recent working visit to Kuala Lumpur, said the EU regards Malaysia as a key regional partner in advancing both policy dialogue on human rights and broader collaboration in trade and investment.
“Malaysia has done a tremendous job as the Chair of ASEAN. For the European Union, Malaysia is a very relevant partner not only in foreign trade and investment but also specifically on human rights-related and economic agendas,” Ollongren stated.
Malaysia’s Role on the Myanmar Crisis
Ollongren acknowledged Malaysia’s active role as ASEAN Chair in supporting dialogue between regional and international human rights organizations to address the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar.
However, she emphasized that further action is needed, urging ASEAN to intensify efforts to pressure Myanmar’s conflicting factions to halt violence against civilians. The EU, she reaffirmed, continues to support the ASEAN-led Five-Point Consensus (5PC) aimed at restoring peace and stability in the country.
The conflict, which erupted after the military coup in February 2021, has displaced thousands of civilians, many of whom have sought refuge abroad, including in Malaysia. As of May 2025, over 200,000 refugees and asylum seekers from Myanmar — including Rohingya, Chin, and other ethnic groups — were registered in Malaysia.
Strengthening Human Rights Cooperation
The EU envoy highlighted the bloc’s intention to integrate human rights principles into future trade and economic cooperation with Malaysia and other ASEAN nations.
“I hope that as we move forward with the free trade agreement, we will be able to take human rights concerns on board, with the goal of strengthening its role as an integral part of the future agreement currently being negotiated,” she said.
The EU was Malaysia’s fourth-largest trading partner in 2024, while Malaysia ranked as the EU’s 22nd-largest trading partner, with total trade reaching €46.4 billion. Within ASEAN, Malaysia was the EU’s third-largest trading partner.
Negotiations for a comprehensive and modern Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the EU and Malaysia officially resumed on January 20, 2025, after being on hold since 2012. The renewed talks follow a successful joint scoping exercise completed in December 2024, which defined the scope and ambition of the future agreement.
Advancing the Human Rights Dialogue
During her visit, Ollongren attended the EU–ASEAN Policy Dialogue on Human Rights, a key platform for inter-regional discussions that has been instrumental in fostering dialogue on civil, political, environmental, and labour rights over the past decade.
She also met with Malaysian Members of Parliament to discuss Malaysia’s potential accession to the UN Convention on Refugees, highlighting that joining the convention would enhance cooperation with the UNHCR and enable Malaysia to benefit from its expertise and capacity.
In addition, Ollongren held talks with the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) and the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) to explore ways to further strengthen human rights protection and expand civic space within the ASEAN region.
