Siem Reap (FN), Sep. 14 – Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen, in his capacity as the rotating chair of ASEAN in 2022, said that ASEAN should devote more attention in timely respond to the new trends in global trade architecture.

The premier spoke at the 54th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ (AEM) Meeting and Related Meetings, held on Wednesday morning (Sep 14) at Siem Reap, Cambodia.

“Certainly, new issues include: rising oil price crisis, high inflation rate, environment, climate change, pandemics, etc. has triggered the trend of regional and global trade to move toward the new normal,” the premier underlined.

“However, this does not mean that all these challenges require countries across the world to use them as protectionism tool, create trade barriers, and disrupt the regional and global supply chains, or establish law and international agreements that serve its own interests or small group of their allies,” the premier continued.

Samdech said, “In this regard, ASEAN should continue to work in unity to coordinate and intensify the establishment of global framework for international trade which is transparent, non-discriminatory and serve the interest of all countries”.

The world and ASEAN is facing with challenges of climate changes and achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, which ASEAN should consider on the initiative to establish ASEAN Green Deal that Samdech used to raise in the opening of 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and Related Meetings.

Samdech believed that this agreement will enable our region to gradually transform toward green future with sustainability, resiliency, efficient utilization of resource, and economic competitiveness.

Lastly, premier Hun Sen was confident that ASEAN will continue moving forward with resiliency, solidarity, and friendship with the common objective to overcome all challenges and build inclusive ASEAN Community in line with ASEAN’s Core Spirit of “One Vision, One Identity, One Community”,and based on consensus for cooperation and mutual benefits, especially joint benefits for our people and region.
=FRESH NEWS