Indo-Pacific Analysis Brief Vol 59
The next key player? Assessing ASEAN’s role in global critical minerals supply chains
January 2026
By Dr Pia Dannhauer
Dr Pia Dannhauer is a Senior Research Fellow at the Perth USAsia Centre, where she worked as a Research Associate (Southeast Asia) from 2023-2025.
Pia’s PhD thesis on Indonesia’s leadership in ASEAN was accepted at Griffith University in 2023.
An English, German and Indonesian speaker, she previously worked for the Asia Pacific Research and Advice Network – an internal think tank that supports EU decision makers.
Pia holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies, with a focus on South and Southeast Asia, from Leiden University in the Netherlands, as well as a joint Master’s in International Relations from three German universities.
Key Messages
↗ The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has increasingly come to view minerals not only as a development opportunity but also as strategic assets, particularly in light of the role of critical minerals in the twin digital and energy transitions.
↗ Significant challenges continue to constrain ASEAN’s ambitions to become an important stakeholder in global supply and value chains.
↗ The growing bifurcation of global supply chains is testing Southeast Asia’s longstanding policy of non-alignment.
↗ Limited alignment and regulatory fragmentation within ASEAN undermine the implementation of regional goals and deter much-needed investment.
↗ International expectations regarding social and environmental sustainability pose a significant threat to the region’s future competitiveness.
Related insights
Indo-Pacific Analysis Briefs
The Indo-Pacific Analysis Briefs deliver concise, timely insights on critical regional developments. Drawing on perspectives from leading analysts in Asia, Australia and the United States, this series examines emerging issues shaping national and Indo-Pacific policy.