In a move that underscores the growing urgency of demographic change in Southeast Asia, the ASEAN Centre for Active Ageing and Innovation (ACAI) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Asia-Pacific Regional Office have joined forces to address one of the region’s most pressing challenges: population ageing. The two organizations signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on February 24, 2026, at a high-level roundtable event in Jakarta, marking a significant step toward regional cooperation on healthy, active, and productive ageing.
The signing ceremony, held at the Raffles Hotel under the banner “Shaping the Future of Ageing Societies: Sharing Experiences and Driving Innovation,” was attended by senior officials from ASEAN Member States, the ASEAN Secretariat, dialogue partners, and development organizations. The event drew a notable roster of regional leaders, including His Excellency San Lwin, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community; His Excellency Yonetani Koji, Ambassador of Japan to ASEAN; Ms. Binh Tran, Deputy Permanent Representative of Viet Nam to ASEAN; and Mr. Suwit Mangkhala, Deputy Permanent Representative of Thailand to ASEAN. Their presence, according to organizers, reflected the strong, region-wide commitment to advancing the cause of active ageing.
This partnership comes at a pivotal moment for ASEAN. The region, which has seen remarkable growth and integration since its inception in 1967, is now facing a rapid demographic transition. According to UNFPA, older persons in ASEAN are projected to reach nearly 200 million by 2050—a figure that presents both challenges and opportunities for policymakers, businesses, and communities alike. As Dr. Somsak Akksilp, Executive Director of ACAI, put it, “This partnership aims to translate regional commitment into concrete actions that reach communities, empower individuals, and transform societies across ASEAN.”
ASEAN’s journey to this point has been marked by steady expansion and integration. Founded in Bangkok on August 8, 1967, by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, the association welcomed Brunei Darussalam in 1984, Viet Nam in 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar in 1997, and Cambodia in 1999, rounding out the current ten Member States. Over the decades, ASEAN has become a model of regional cooperation, promoting peace, stability, and economic growth. Its community-building efforts, especially since the launch of the ASEAN Community in 2015, have focused on three key pillars: Political-Security Community, Economic Community, and Socio-Cultural Community. The introduction of the ASEAN 2025 vision, with its comprehensive blueprints, further cemented the group’s ambition to forge ahead together in a rapidly changing world.
One of the most recent milestones in ASEAN’s ongoing integration was the first public Conference on Human Development in ASEAN, held on September 10–11, 2025, at the ASEAN Hall in Jakarta. This inaugural event brought together a diverse array of stakeholders—ranging from international development organizations and private sector representatives to civil society groups, youth, and student leaders—to discuss the region’s human development goals and strategies. The conference explored the interconnected political, economic, social, and cultural aspects of human development, setting the stage for more inclusive and forward-thinking policies.
It is against this backdrop of collaboration and dialogue that the ACAI-UNFPA partnership emerges. The new MOU sets out a framework for supporting ASEAN Member States in navigating the complexities of an ageing population. Key areas of cooperation include promoting healthy ageing and ensuring access to quality health services, utilizing robust data such as National Transfer Accounts to inform policy decisions, and fostering regional dialogue on topics like the care economy and intergenerational solidarity. Equally important, the partnership aims to strengthen the economic and financial resilience of older adults, with a focus on inclusive and gender-responsive approaches.
Dr. Aleksandar Sasha Bodiroza, Regional Director a.i. of UNFPA Asia-Pacific, spoke to the heart of the matter during the signing ceremony. He stressed, “Collaborative efforts are crucial to ensuring that longer lives are accompanied by health, dignity, and security.” His remarks echoed a broader sentiment among participants: while the demographic shift toward an older population presents significant policy challenges, it also offers a unique opportunity to harness the wisdom, experience, and potential of older adults for the benefit of society as a whole.
ASEAN’s approach to human development has always been multi-faceted. The association’s organs, including the Secretary-General and the ASEAN Secretariat, play a vital role in coordinating decision-making and ensuring that Member States work together effectively. Each country appoints a Permanent Representative to liaise with the Secretary-General and the Secretariat, reinforcing the collaborative spirit that has defined ASEAN since its founding. This spirit was on full display at the recent roundtable and the earlier human development conference, where the emphasis was on building partnerships—not just within Southeast Asia, but with external partners, international organizations, and other stakeholders committed to the region’s well-being.
The roadmap for an ASEAN Community, declared in 2009 and launched in 2015, was anchored on the idea that integration should be comprehensive, touching on security, economics, and socio-cultural issues. The ASEAN 2025 vision, introduced in 2015, built on this foundation, offering blueprints for political-security, economic, and socio-cultural communities. These frameworks have guided ASEAN’s responses to emerging challenges, from economic shocks to public health crises—and now, to the demographic realities of an ageing population.
The recent partnership between ACAI and UNFPA is, in many ways, a natural extension of these efforts. By focusing on evidence-based policies and capacity-building initiatives, the collaboration seeks to empower ASEAN Member States to craft solutions that are both locally relevant and regionally coordinated. The emphasis on data-driven decision-making—such as the use of National Transfer Accounts—underscores the importance of grounding policy in rigorous analysis and real-world evidence.
At the same time, the partnership recognizes that ageing is not just a policy issue—it is a deeply human one. Promoting healthy ageing, strengthening intergenerational solidarity, and ensuring the financial resilience of older adults are goals that resonate across societies, regardless of borders. As Dr. Somsak Akksilp noted, the ultimate aim is to “empower individuals and transform societies,” ensuring that the benefits of longer life are shared by all.
Looking ahead, the ACAI-UNFPA partnership sets a precedent for how regional organizations can work together to address complex, cross-border challenges. By leveraging the collective expertise and resources of ASEAN and its partners, the region is better positioned to turn the challenges of population ageing into opportunities for growth, inclusion, and innovation.
With the groundwork laid by decades of cooperation and recent initiatives like the human development conference and the ACAI-UNFPA MOU, ASEAN appears poised to meet the demographic transition head-on—turning what could be a daunting challenge into a catalyst for a healthier, more resilient, and more inclusive future for all its citizens.