UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (sixth from left) and ASEAN diplomats at the 2019 ASEAN Day reception in New York on July 30 (Photo: www.un.org) New York (VNA) – Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterresdescribed the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a global modelof multilateralism while attending the 2019 ASEAN Day reception in New York onJuly 30.
Opening the event, Ambassador and PermanentRepresentative of Thailand to the UN Vitavas Srivihok, also head of the 2019ASEAN Committee in New York, highlighted the significance of the establishmentof the ASEAN 52 years ago, connecting the member countries with one another infriendship and cooperation and creating a foundation for peace and prosperityin the region.
Despite unpredictable changes and challenges,ASEAN is currently the most peaceful and stable region in the world withcohesion and sharing among its member states, he noted.
Vitavas also said that with the theme for 2019“Advancing Partnership for Sustainability”, the bloc has made efforts to ensuresustainable security, including promoting a complementary relationship betweenthe ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the UN 2030 Agenda for SustainableDevelopment, establishing an ASEAN centre for sustainable development studiesand dialogue, and committing to enhancing cooperation with international partners.
In his speech, the UN Secretary-General said theASEAN is not only an organisation representing 10 Southeast Asian nations butalso a global model of multilateralism with traditions of dialogue, respect andtrust among its members.
He noted ASEAN’s contributions in all areas ofaction of the UN, including preventing crises and dealing with conflicts. Healso welcomed the bloc’s efforts to assist Myanmar and negotiate a Code of Conduct(COC) of parties in the East Sea.
Guterres expressed his hope for strongerrelations between the ASEAN and the UN and for the ASEAN’s active engagement inupcoming multilateral events like the climate change summit, a high-levelmeeting on universal health coverage and a conference on financing fordevelopment.
Meanwhile, Tijjani Muhammad Bande, newly-electedPresident of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly, spoke highly of theASEAN’s success and leadership in many fields, voicing his hope that thegrouping will continue contributing to the 74th session.
President of the 73rd session of the UN GeneralAssembly María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés recognised the ASEAN’s motto “OneVision, One Identity, One Community”, which she said was a prerequisite for thesuccessful implementation of its Community Vision 2025.-VNA
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