Western aid cuts risk fracturing Asean unity
As the gap between wealthier and poorer members widens, Asean risks becoming a two-speed bloc, says the writer.
A casual scan of the gleaming skylines of Bangkok, Jakarta or Ho Chi Minh City, and it's easy to believe that South-east Asia is thriving. But a mounting challenge lurks beneath the surface bustle of these cities. As Western powers pull back from global development, billions in foreign aid are vanishing, placing the region's poorest countries, and Asean's unity, at risk.
The scale of the aid pullback is striking. Earlier in 2025, the
Trump administration suspended nearly all American overseas assistance – amounting to around US$60 billion (S$77 billion). The UK soon followed, cutting US$7.6 billion from its annual aid budget.
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