Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith (Photo: VNA) Vientiane (VNA) - ASEAN has become one of the most successful regional organisations in the world, with a host of tangible accomplishments on many fronts, Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith said in a message sent recently to the Lao people on the occasion of the 53rd founding anniversary of the bloc and the 23rd anniversary of Laos’ membership.
In the message, published on the Vientiane Times on August 10, the FM said one of the most remarkable achievements in the last 53 years was the establishment of the ASEAN Community at the end of 2015. He described ASEAN as a peaceful and stable region with significant accomplishments in economic cooperation that has helped the bloc integrate into the regional and global economy and contribute to promoting socio-economic development and improving people’s living standards.
ASEAN’s achievements have been widely recognised, in particular its central role, leadership role and consensus, he went on.
In 2020, ASEAN and many regions worldwide are encountering a range of challenges posed by natural disasters and COVID-19, which exert a huge impact on socio-economic development, political stability, and security in the region and the world.
To cope with these challenges, ASEAN has strengthened cooperation based on the “Cohesive and Responsive” spirit proposed by Vietnam as ASEAN Chair 2020, which has been seen through virtual forums between leaders of ASEAN members and between ASEAN and dialogue partners, to discuss anti-pandemic solutions and address the consequences post-pandemic.
The FM highlighted that ASEAN successfully hosted the 36th ASEAN Summit and relevant meetings on COVID-19 response via video conferencing on June 26.
ASEAN and dialogue partners have agreed to enhance cooperation in community healthcare, specifically preventing COVID-19, studying and developing vaccines against the virus, and setting up the ASEAN Fund for COVID-19 response and medical equipment reserves for emergency cases, in addition to resuming socio-economic activities, links, and supply and investment chains, while addressing unemployment, reducing poverty, and developing human resources, he added.
The Lao top diplomat also affirmed that ASEAN membership has helped enhance Laos’s role at regional and international forums./.
VNA
