The East Asia
Summit (EAS) Senior Officials’ Meeting was convened on 3 August 2023 in Bali,
Indonesia and attended by the SOM Leaders/Representatives of all EAS
participating countries, Timor-Leste as observer, and the Deputy
Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Political-Security Community. The
meeting’s plenary session reviewed the work of the EAS in 2023 and EAS
cooperation including initiatives to implement the ASEAN Outlook in the
Indo-Pacific (AOIP). Meanwhile, the meeting’s retreat session discussed
substantive preparations for the 18th East Asia Summit in September
and exchanged views on regional and international issues to support ASEAN as an
epicentrum of growth.
The Third East Asia Summit (EAS) Ambassadors’ Meeting in Jakarta (3/2023 EAMJ) was held on 31 July 2023 in Bali. The meeting reviewed the progress in the implementation of the EAS Plan of Action 2018-2022, discussed preparations for the 18th East Asia Summit in September, and exchanged information on regional development cooperation initiatives and security policies and initiatives.
In attendance were the Ambassadors of EAS participating countries or their representatives, Timor-Leste as Observer, and the ASEAN Secretariat delegation led by the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Political-Security Community.
Secretary-General
of ASEAN Dr Kao Kim Hourn attended the 13th East Asia Summit (EAS)
Foreign Ministers’ Meeting which took place today in Jakarta. The meeting
reaffirmed the commitment to further strengthen the EAS as a Leaders-led forum
for dialogue and cooperation on broad strategic, political, and economic issues
of common interest and concern. The meeting reviewed the progress of the
implementation of the EAS Plan of Action 2018-2022 and discussed future
direction of EAS cooperation. The meeting also exchanged views on a wide range
of regional and international issues.
The Second East
Asia Summit (EAS) Ambassadors’ Meeting in Jakarta (2/2023 EAMJ) and EAS
Ambassadors in Jakarta’s Retreat were convened on 23 May 2023 in Bandung, West
Java. The meetings were chaired by Chair of the Committee of Permanent
Representatives to ASEAN and concurrently Chair of the EAMJ Ambassador Derry
Aman. In attendance were the Permanent Representatives and Ambassadors of EAS
participating countries to ASEAN, representatives from Timor-Leste as observer,
and a delegation from the ASEAN Secretariat. The meetings discussed the
progress of EAS cooperation and exchanged information on regional development
cooperation initiatives and security policies and initiatives.
The East Asia
Summit Senior Officials’ Meeting (EAS SOM) was convened on 8 March 2023 at the
ASEAN Secretariat. The Meeting was chaired by Sidharto Reza Suryodipuro, SOM
Leader of Indonesia, and attended by SOM Leaders of EAS participating
countries, Timor-Leste as Observer, and the ASEAN Secretariat.
Prior to the
closing ceremony of the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits and
Related Summits, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen handed over a hammer to
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo as a symbolic handover of ASEAN presidency from
Cambodia to Indonesia.
“Indonesia is
honored to be the Chair of ASEAN in 2023. The chairmanship of Indonesia will
adopt the theme ‘ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth,” President Jokowi said at
Sokha Hotel, Phnom Penh, Sunday (11/13).
The Head of State
also stated that ASEAN must be a stable and peaceful region and become an
anchor for global stability as well as enforce international law consistently
and remain neutral.
“ASEAN must be a
dignified region and uphold humanity values and democracy,”
the President said.
On the occasion,
the President also expected ASEAN to become a fast-growing, inclusive, and
sustainable economic region. By strengthening its institutional capacity and
effectiveness, he expected ASEAN can face even more difficulties in the coming
20 years.
“All of
difficulties must be tackled in the ASEAN way, which is consistent with the
spirit of cooperation and entirely implement the ASEAN Charter,” he stated.
In addition, President
Jokowi invited the attending ASEAN leaders to attend the ASEAN Summit in
Indonesia next year.
“I look forward
to Your Excellencies’ presence in Indonesia next year,” he remarked.
Source: Cabinet Secretariat of the Republic of Indonesia
Original publication date: 13 November 2022
Today has finally
come! Brunei Darussalam officially handed over ASEAN Chairmanship to Cambodia
for 2022. Prior to the Handing Over Ceremony, Samdech Techo Prime Minister also
participated in the fruitful 18th ASEAN-India and 4th ASEAN-Russia Summits.
I sincerely
commend Brunei Darussalam and all responsible individuals, who contributed to
reaching another milestone both for Brunei and for ASEAN. Under the theme
“ASEAN A.C.T.: Addressing Challenges Together”, Cambodia will strive to promote
a collective approach and mobilise efforts of all ASEAN Member States to ensure
harmony, peace, and prosperity for the benefit of our region and our peoples.
Source: Read full article here
Original publication date: 28 October, 2021
Ha Noi, 15 November 2020 – Brunei Darussalam has taken the symbolic gavel for the ASEAN Chair in 2021 from Vietnam at the closing of the 37th ASEAN Summit and related summits in Hanoi on November 15. With the theme “We Care. We Prepare. We Prosper,” the bloc's next chair will continue to advance the regional recovery and community-building efforts.
Brunei Darussalam’s Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah revealed the next year’s focus that reflects three priority areas the country plans to promote: (1) Caring for the people and each other’s well-being, (2) Preparing for future opportunities and challenges, and (3) Prospering together as a unified region.
“Although ASEAN is a prosperous region with a growing economy and improved connectivity, the region has faced financial crises, energy shortages, natural disasters and climate change,” The Scoop quoted the sultan as saying.
“The severe challenges to global activities brought about by the [coronavirus] has also shown us that ASEAN must continue to strengthen ASEAN solidarity and centrality to overcome them,” the sultan said, adding that in today’s polarized world, ASEAN must continue to advance together.
The sultan emphasized that ASEAN was formed over fifty years ago with a vision for a better and more peaceful future based on the shared understanding that ASEAN as a whole, is greater than the sum of its parts.
“Integration, unity and solidarity, have and must continue to be, the foundation of ASEAN’s relations in advancing together,” he noted.
The Brunei government has yet to announce how ASEAN-related meetings will take place in 2021, whether they will continue to be held virtually or in-person at some point during the year.
Brunei last held the ASEAN chairmanship in 2013.
According to Article 31 in the ASEAN Charter, the Chairmanship of ASEAN shall rotate annually, based on the alphabetical order of the English names of member states.
A member state assuming the Chairmanship shall chair the ASEAN Summit and related summits, the ASEAN Coordinating Council, the three ASEAN Community Councils, relevant ASEAN Sectoral Ministerial Bodies and senior officials, and the Committee of Permanent Representatives.
The hosting country shall chair high-ranking and ministerial meetings, promoting the bloc’s interests and prosperity, recommending initiatives and new plans, and ensuring timely response to emergencies for the sake of the bloc.
Source: Hanoi Times
Jakarta,
Indonesia - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia organized the East
Asia Summit (EAS) video conference, where virologists and epidemiologists met
to identify practical cooperation and formulate strategic solutions to combat
COVID-19 (14/10). This International Conference was also attended by economists
and policymakers from 10 ASEAN countries and 8 EAS participating countries
(PRC, the US, India, Russia, Australia, Japan, ROK, New Zealand), to discuss
efforts to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic and accelerate the recovery of its
socio-economic impact.
The International
Conference, initiated by Indonesia in collaboration with the ASEAN Chair,
Vietnam, aimed to bring together international virologists and pandemic experts
to anticipate and share practical experiences in overcoming this pandemic in
their respective countries, including efforts to recover the economy in the
region.
This
International Conference discussed not only strategies for utilizing
technological advances in the health sector, especially (for) diagnostics,
capacity building for digital-based testing, tracing, and isolation that can
accelerate the process of mitigating the spread of the COVID-19 virus, but also
practical solutions to grow the economy during a pandemic.
The meeting
produced an agreement to encourage the strengthening of an increasingly
integrated public health system between the EAS participating countries, as
well as synergy and cooperation between international health experts and
virologists with the government at the national level to build the regional
health security and health resilience.
Countries such as
the United States, the People's Republic of China, Russia, and Australia have
shown appreciation for Indonesia's initiative to encourage comprehensive and
practical cooperation synergies in handling the COVID-19 pandemic in a
multilateral context.
The results of
this meeting are expected to be a solution recommendation for the Leaders of
the East Asia Summit Participating Countries, based on the views and thoughts
of experts and policymakers to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in a more
systematic, practical, and effective manner.
Source: The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (kemlu.go.id)