The Contributing Role of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) to Southeast Asia’s Digital Resilience

The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is gradually demonstrating its contribution to strengthening the digital resilience of the Southeast Asia region through various cooperation initiatives with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Although in its early stages, the digital dialogue between the EAEU and ASEAN has created space for knowledge transfer, policy harmonization, and the development of an inclusive digital ecosystem. This paper will outline the EAEU’s contributing role to Southeast Asia’s digital resilience through three key dimensions: first, institutional cooperation frameworks and strategic commitments; second, knowledge transfer and best practices in digital governance; and third, facilitating digital connectivity and e-commerce across the region.

Institutional Cooperation Framework and Strategic Commitment

The primary foundation of the EAEU’s contribution to Southeast Asia’s digital resilience lies in the systematic strengthening of institutional cooperation. The Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2018 between the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) and ASEAN laid the initial foundation for dialogue and collaboration across various sectors, including digitalization. This commitment continues to be reinforced through long-term strategic planning, as evidenced by the launch of a series of sectoral seminars on energy, agriculture, customs regulation, intellectual property, e-commerce, competition policy, and transportation through 2025. The EAEU and ASEAN, as two regions with diverse economies and strong integration agendas, face similar challenges in digital transformation, including infrastructure gaps, regulatory fragmentation, and resource constraints, making interregional learning invaluable.

It is understood that the EAEU’s efforts to strengthen relations with ASEAN were reflected in the high-level meeting between the leaders of ASEAN and Russia, a key member of the EAEU, at the ASEAN-Russia Commemorative Summit in 2026. During the meeting, the leaders agreed to promote connectivity between ASEAN........

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