On Monday, October 20, 2025, the Council has approved conclusions on the implementation of the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. The Council emphasized the need for the EU to intensify its strategic focus, presence, visibility, and actions in the Indo-Pacific region to contribute to joint stability, security, prosperity, and sustainable development. This is in line with the promotion of democracy, rule of law, human rights, and international law.
The EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific was launched in September 2021, providing a strong framework for the EU’s engagement in the region, covering from the east coast of Africa to the Pacific islands. Significant progress has been made in implementing the strategy in the seven key priority areas, both at the EU and member state level, with a particular focus on three core areas of engagement: security and defense challenges, the green and digital transition, and trade and economic security.
The Council stressed that both the EU and the Indo-Pacific face increasingly complex security challenges, particularly in light of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and ongoing tensions in the South and East China Seas, and across the Taiwan Strait. The Council also reiterated its concerns about the current situations in Afghanistan and Myanmar, and its unwavering commitment to achieving a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace in the Middle East, based on the two-state solution.
The Council is eagerly anticipating the fourth EU-Indo Pacific Ministerial Forum, to be convened by the High Representative in Brussels on 20-21 November 2025. These ministerial fora serve as a unique platform for strategic interaction between the EU and the Indo-Pacific partners. They demonstrate the shared interest in fostering concrete cooperation, including on a region-to-region basis, and enhancing mutual security, prosperity, and resilience, laying the foundations for an even more ambitious partnership.
This is one of the two largest diplomatic gatherings of foreign ministers hosted by High Representative Kaja Kallas in Europe this year, along with the EU-African Union ministerial in May in Brussels.
The Council’s conclusions on the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific (2025) and the Joint Communication to the European Parliament and the Council on the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific (2021) have been distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.