1 week Ago By Diyana Isamudin
KUALA LUMPUR: Asean's economic outlook remains resilient with growth projected to exceed four per cent in both 2025 and 2026, said Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan.Despite persistent global challenges, he said the regional bloc continues to be anchored by strong domestic demand, robust investment activity, recovering exports and favourable employment conditions."Nonetheless, we remain vigilant of risks to our short and medium-term growth, particularly those stemming from reduced global trade, investment flows and recently announced additional and new reciprocal tariffs by United States.
"We are monitoring this closely and ready to address this volatility if the need arises," he said in his closing speech at the 12th Asean Finance Ministers' and Central Bank Governors' Meeting (AFMGM).Amir Hamzah said Asean has no plans to impose any retaliatory measures in response to the US tariffs.He said the region is committed to strengthening financial resilience and accelerating integration, in a bid to foster greater intra-Asean trade and investment.
"We call upon international financial institutions to give greater prominence to the risks that elevated tariffs pose to the global economy and to articulate these concerns with greater clarity and emphasis," he added.According to the minister, Malaysia's chairmanship has set three priority economic deliverables under the finance track, including making it easier to finance fair and climate-resilient projects.This is part of the region's effort to promote a fair, orderly, and inclusive transition using tools like the Asean Taxonomy Version 4, Asean Transition Finance Guidance Version 2, and the Asean Infrastructure Fund Action Plan for 2025-2028.
In accelerating the growth of Asean capital markets, he said the Asean Capital Markets Forum (ACMF) Action Plan 2026–2030 is set to be launched at the ACMF International Conference in November 2025.Asean is also developing multilateral payment connectivity infrastructure within the region. The roadmap and quantitative targets for this initiative were finalised and endorsed at the AFMGM.
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