In a commentary, SMU’s Lee Kong Chian Distinguished Fellow Dr Noeleen Heyzer, a member of the United Nations’ (UN) Secretary General’s High Level Advisory Board and former UN Under-Secretary-General highlighted the need for Asean to do more to prevent conflict and protect refugees and face up to its responsibilities in protecting the well-being of the community. Dr Heyzer also noted that while the 50th anniversary of Asean is a time to celebrate our joint development progress, it is also a time for stock-taking and for renewal to build an Asean Economic Community based on a people-centred Asean. Critical to this is the urgent need for Asean to prioritise regional cooperation to prevent conflict and protect people affected by it.