The leaders gathered in Lao capital Vientiane on Tuesday for the 35th ASEAN Coordinating Council meeting….reports Asian Lite News
Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met in Lao capital Vientiane to review and adopt key reports on regional integration and review the progress of the roadmap for Timor-Leste’s membership in ASEAN.
The leaders gathered in Lao capital Vientiane on Tuesday for the 35th ASEAN Coordinating Council meeting. The meeting took the theme “Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience,” leading efforts to transform ASEAN into a more connected and resilient community.
During the session, the council reviewed and adopted 13 reports across the three ASEAN Community pillars.
These included the report of the secretary-general of ASEAN on the functions and operations of the ASEAN Secretariat, the report of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN, the report of the ASEAN Integration Task Force, the report of the ASEAN Connectivity Coordinating Committee, and the 2024 Annual Progress Report of the ASEAN Smart Cities Network.
These reports reflect ASEAN’s ongoing efforts to enhance regional connectivity and resilience, key themes of the meeting.
The meeting also reviewed and approved documents to be presented at the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits.
The meeting also discussed the legal instruments required for Timor-Leste to join various ASEAN frameworks, marking an important step in expanding ASEAN’s membership.
ASEAN Way
Addressing the opening ceremony, Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith called on ASEAN countries to continue upholding their common cause of peace, stability and sustainable development, as well as honouring their commitments to multilateralism based on equality and mutual benefit.
Cooperation guided by the “ASEAN Way,” Thongloun said, resonates with the “unique characteristics of Southeast Asia with a shared goal of maintaining and promoting peace, stability and sustainable socio-economic development within the region and beyond.”
The summits under Laos’ ASEAN chairmanship this year are themed “ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience,” with a focus on building a more integrated, connected and resilient ASEAN community to respond to various pressing challenges and seize opportunities to bring about benefits to ASEAN people, Xinhua news agency reported.
The three-day event will feature related summits, including the 27th ASEAN-China Summit, the 27th ASEAN Plus Three Summit (ASEAN-China, Japan and the Republic of Korea) and the 19th East Asia Summit.
Founded in 1967, ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
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