Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesian ForeignMinister Retno Marsudi has announced three main pillars of this year’s ASEAN Summit,themed “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth.”
Speaking at an event on March 19, the minister saidthe first is maintaining the ten-member group’s centrality, making it adriver to promote peace and stability.
Regarding the second - the epicentrum of growth, theofficial pointed to ASEAN’s advantages in demography, high economic growth, andregional peace and stability.
The third lies with Indo-Pacific, she said, notingthat the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) should be translated intospecific economic cooperation activities.
In that spirit, during Indonesia’s ASEAN Chairmanship2023, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry will coordinate with the IndonesianChamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) and relevant ministries and agenciesin organising the ASEAN-Indo-Pacific Forum./.
Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy has called for the establishment of an ASEAN Declaration regarding family development to bolster the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC).
ASEAN has sufficient resources to become a centre of world economic growth with a GDP reaching USD 3.36 trillion in 2021 and a population of 650 million people, Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said on March 15.
The 42nd ASEAN Summit, slated to take place in mid-May in Indonesia’s Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara province this year, is expected to help the country attract 1.1 million international visitors to the tourism site, home to the Komodo Dragon National Park.
The Indonesian Government is committed to promoting inclusive and sustainable growth not only in the country, but also in the Indo-Pacific and ASEAN regions, according to Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
