Phnom Penh (FN), Nov. 21 – Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen said that as the rotating chair of ASEAN in 2022 under the theme "ASEAN A.C.T: Addressing Challenges Together", Cambodia is indeed proud to have navigated ASEAN in addressing difficult challenges facing our region and making significant achievements to expedite the building process of ASEAN Community in accordance with ASEAN's core spirit of: "One Vision, One Identity, One Community".

The premier spoke at the opening ceremony of the 43rd General Assembly of ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-43), held on Monday morning (Nov 21) in Phnom Penh.

“In fact, with the commitment as the ASEAN's chair and the support from ASEAN member states, Cambodia has proudly achieved success in hosting the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits and Related Summits, with the adoption of numerous key documents and initiatives, aimed at promoting sustainable, inclusive, and resilient ASEAN, including: (1) ASEAN Leaders' Vision Statement on "ASEAN A.C.T.: Addressing Challenges Together", (2) ASEAN Leaders' Statement on ASEAN Connectivity Post-2025 Agenda, (3) ASEAN Declaration on Building More Sustainable, Inclusive and Resilient Future: Unlocking Women's Entrepreneurship in ASEAN, and (4) Declaration on the Digital Transformation of Education Systems in ASEAN, etc,” the premier underscored.

Regarding sustainability, inclusiveness and resilience, ASEAN has been placing its priority on human resource development, education reform and vocational training to keep pace with digital transformation and enhance the role of women and youth to increase economic productivity and stimulate economic growth in the post COVID19 era.

On climate change issue, Cambodia has also proposed the formulation of "ASEAN Green Deal Initiative" at the recent ASEAN Summits, to re-orient regional development toward ASEAN's sustainable green future.

ASEAN is also scaling up concerted efforts to implement agreed action plans and initiatives to derive maximum benefits from the opportunities arising from global trends, including digitalization, circular economy, green economy, development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSMEs), and especially the effective implementation of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) as well as other ASEAN Free Trade Agreements. All of these will be the key driving force in promoting connectivity in all areas as well as in working together to effectively respond to any challenges.

On political and security aspect, Cambodia has continued attaching the priority to strengthening ASEAN Centrality and Unity as well as adhering to multilateralism, which is a key regional mechanism for contributing to reducing the geo-political tensions and the confrontation between the superpowers, especially by continuing to promote dialogues with partners through various forums.

“Although regional security issues have not yet been fully addressed, I believe that the positive outcomes of the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits and Related Summits have made significant contribution to setting the common positions, that provide inputs to the finding of the solutions toward ensuring regional security, stability, and development,” the premier continued.

Samdech added, “These achievements and the setting of these clear directions are once again the testimony to the unwavering political will of ASEAN in continuing to intensify regional integration and adaptation to the new normal, aimed at building the future of ASEAN with unity, inclusiveness, and resilience as well as to demonstrate ASEAN's commitment to strengthening relations with partners based on the principles of trust and mutual respect for regional and global peace and prosperity”.
=FRESH NEWS