Asia-Africa International Forum 2025: Identifying challenges, increasing resilience

The Asia-Africa International Forum 2025 is not only an academic space, but also promotes a strategic cooperation mechanism, helping the two continents enhance their resilience to global challenges.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ta Minh Tuan, Vice President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, delivered a welcome speech at the Forum. (Source: ISAWAAS)

More than 100 Vietnamese and international delegates were present at the Hall of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences on the afternoon of September 9, attending the first Asia-Africa International Forum (AAIF 2025) with the theme "Adapting to global challenges in the new context".

Organized by the Institute of South Asian, West Asian and African Studies (under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences), AAIF 2025 takes place on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Bandung Conference (1955) - an event that marked the formation of Asian-African solidarity and affirmed the position of developing countries in the international order after the Cold War.

In his welcome speech, Associate Professor Dr. Ta Minh Tuan, Vice President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, emphasized that with a population accounting for more than half of humanity, rich resources and long-standing cultures, Asia and Africa have great potential to become important drivers of global growth and innovation. However, that potential can only be fully exploited if our countries know how to cooperate, adapt to challenges and take advantage of opportunities in the new era.

Welcoming the initiative of the Institute of South Asian, West Asian and African Studies to organize the Forum in the context of strong global challenges, Associate Professor, Dr. Ta Minh Tuan expected AAIF 2025 to achieve many good results, providing valuable scientific arguments and policy recommendations, enhancing Asia-Africa cooperation in a sustainable and effective manner.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Xuan Trung, Director of the Institute of South Asian, West Asian and African Studies, delivered the opening speech at the Forum. (Source: ISAWAAS)

In his opening speech, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Xuan Trung, Director of the Institute of South Asian, West Asian and African Studies, stated that the central issue now is that Asian and African countries need to determine how to both adapt to the new global context and proactively contribute to shaping a fair, inclusive and sustainable international order.

To "define that way", AAIF 2025 is a forum for experts, scholars, diplomats and policymakers from Asia and Africa to exchange academic and policy knowledge, share experiences, propose solutions, and contribute to promoting solidarity, friendship and practical and effective cooperation between countries on the two continents.

AAIF 2025 is an important academic initiative to promote dialogue, share experiences and seek multilateral cooperation solutions among Asian and African countries as well as with the international community.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Xuan Trung, inclusive multilateralism and Southern Hemisphere cooperation have become strategic methods to help developing countries maintain autonomy and improve their response capacity.

Meanwhile, the positions and potentials of Asia and Africa have many similarities. Asia is currently the leading growth engine, accounting for more than 40% of global GDP. Africa is the youngest continent, rich in resource and market potential, with rapid urbanization and digital transformation. Both regions play a key role in maritime routes, supply chains and the global economic and security order...

Dr. Diana Sfetlana Stoica, Political Expert at the Ubuntu Center for African Studies, Timisoara, presented a paper at the Asia-Africa International Forum 2025, September 9, 2025. (Source: ISAWAAS)

The forum gathered many international scholars and experts to participate in person and online, including: Dr. Diana Sfetlana Stoica (Ubuntu Center for African Studies, Romania), Prof. Tomoomi Mori (Setsunan University, Japan), Dr. Philani Mthembu (Executive Director of the Institute for Global Dialogue, South Africa), Prof. Alvin Ang (Center for Strategic and Policy Studies, Brunei)...

Speakers from different perspectives all shared the view that the world is entering the second decade of the 21st century with profound and complex changes. Crises are not only continuous but also overlapping, but in the midst of challenges, the Asia-Africa region is emerging as a new engine of global growth and transformation, thanks to the advantage of a young population, abundant resources and increasing intra-regional demand.

The presentations focused on identifying prominent challenges on the two continents, from climate change, health security to traditional and non-traditional security instabilities, while analyzing the potential for cooperation and sharing experiences to enhance national resilience.

Speakers at the roundtable discussion. (Source: ISAWAAS)

The roundtable discussion was moderated by Associate Professor Dr. Dinh Cong Hoang, Head of the Middle East and West Asia Research Department, Institute of South Asia, West Asia and Africa Studies, with the participation of Ambassadors of India, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, UAE to Vietnam and Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, former President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations, and many experts and scholars.

Vietnamese and international diplomats all agree that it is necessary to promote economic connectivity, effectively exploit trade agreements such as AfCFTA in Africa and RCEP in Asia; build an Asia-Africa trade corridor, both in terms of physical and digital infrastructure; and promote cooperation in science and technology, education and multilateral institutional reform to ensure the voice of developing countries.

Some delegates stressed the need to institutionalize the Asia-Africa Forum into an annual mechanism, with a Secretariat and specialized working groups, to turn political declarations into concrete actions.

Delegates attending the Asia-Africa International Forum 2025. (Source: ISAWAAS)

Vietnam is considered an active bridge in Asia-Africa relations. Currently, our country has established diplomatic relations with all 55 African countries and the African Union (AU) and has become an observer of the AU.

Since the mid-1990s, Vietnam has cooperated with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Africa under the South-South cooperation model and tripartite cooperation to transfer agricultural development and poverty reduction techniques to Africa (Senegal, Mozambique, South Sudan, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Mali, Namibia, Republic of Guinea, Benin, Republic of Congo...). In particular, the Vietnam-FAO-Senegal tripartite cooperation model is considered a typical model.

In addition, Vietnam has actively participated in the United Nations peacekeeping force in South Sudan, the Central African Republic, and Abyei. Vietnam is willing to share its experience in agricultural development, poverty reduction, digital transformation, and international integration with Asian and African friends. This is a testament to the spirit of cooperation, responsibility, and contribution to the common development of humanity.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/dien-dan-quoc-te-a-phi-2025-nhan-dien-thach-thuc-tang-suc-chong-chiu-327263.html