ASEAN Day marked in Canada

A sequence of events marking the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Day were held by its committee in Ottawa, Canada on August 13.
A sequence of events marking the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN) Day were held by its committee in Ottawa, Canada on August 13.

The staff of seven embassies and representative agencies of the bloc’smembers attended the festivities, which included a flag hoistingceremony, reception and banquet.

Opening the event,the incumbent head of the committee, Myanmar’s Ambassador to Canada HauDo Suan, recapped the establishment and development of the associationas well as its member countries over the past 40 years. He alsodescribed the great progress in ASEAN-Canada ties.

Canadian diplomats were also in attendance and Suan said that the ASEANDay events would raise local awareness of the Southeast Asian region andits goals. He said the celebrations would also benefit the bloc’smembers and the opportunity for them to meet would be an importantcontribution to the continued peace, stability and development of theregion and its international partners.

Canada’sForeign Affairs Minister John Baird said the country’s ties with ASEANhave reached new heights in recent years, adding that Canada nowprioritises the region in its external policies in the fields of foreignaffairs, trade, economics, culture and education.

Toboost trade and investment cooperation, Canada’s International TradeMinister Ed Fast will attend the upcoming ASEAN Economic MinisterialMeeting scheduled for August 20-21 in Brunei and hold discussions withthe Canada-ASEAN Business Council, added Baird.-VNA

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