Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen speaks during the 55th ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Aug 3, 2022. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
PHNOM PENH – The 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits and Related Summits kicked off in the capital of Cambodia on Friday, with the main focus on continuing community-building process, post-COVID-19 pandemic recovery, and regional and global security challenges, among others.
Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen called for building the future of ASEAN as a community that is united, inclusive, resilient and rules-based, and that remains central to the evolving regional architecture, forging external partnerships based on mutual trust and respect for regional and global peace, security and sustainable growth
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the summits, Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen urged the 10-member ASEAN to focus on the common goal of mutual development for peace, stability and the betterment of the region.
He called for building the future of ASEAN as a community that is united, inclusive, resilient and rules-based, and that remains central to the evolving regional architecture, forging external partnerships based on mutual trust and respect for regional and global peace, security and sustainable growth.
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Over 100 outcome documents will be adopted and noted during the meetings, and the ASEAN leaders will issue three statements, namely the ASEAN Leaders' Statement on the 55th Anniversary of ASEAN, the ASEAN Leaders' Vision Statement on ASEAN A.C.T: Addressing Challenges Together, and the ASEAN Leaders' Statement on ASEAN Connectivity Post-2025 Agenda, at the end of the summits, according to the prime minister.
As the current socio-economic situation in ASEAN as well as in the whole world remains fragile and divided, Hun Sen called for the right decisions, policies and realistic approaches to address the strategic challenges.
Cambodia is the chair of ASEAN for 2022, and the summits are scheduled for Nov. 11-13.
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Established in 1967, ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Indonesia is the ASEAN chair for 2023.