ASEAN kicks off 44th and 45th summits, related events in Vientiane

The events are attended by leaders of the ASEAN countries and Timor-Leste, ministers and senior officials of the three ASEAN Community pillars, the foreign minister and senior officials of Timor-Leste, the ASEAN Secretary-General, and representatives of related parties. Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh participated in the opening session.

In his opening remarks, Party General Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith offered congratulations on the bloc's successes obtained over the last 57 years, particularly in the ASEAN Community building and the significant contributions to the protection and promotion of peace, stability, and prosperous development in the region and the world.

He emphasised that ASEAN's successes have helped create a favourable environment for socio-economic development of member countries.

He also thanked ASEAN members, dialogue partners, and the ASEAN Secretariat for their support for and cooperation with Laos in the bloc's activities as well as the country's ASEAN Chairmanship in 2024.

Meanwhile, Lao PM Sonexay Siphandone stressed the importance of enhancing connectivity and resilience to build a strong ASEAN Community.

To date, he noted, the nine priorities of the ASEAN Year 2024 have recorded positive progress, including the building of strategies for the three ASEAN Community pillars and the ASEAN connectivity strategy for implementing the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.

In 2024, ASEAN has underscored the building of a more inter-connected and resilient grouping to cope with challenges and grasp opportunities to continue building an increasingly strong ASEAN Community, the host leader went on.

He pointed out that ASEAN and other regions in the world are facing numerous challenges, from armed conflicts, economic - financial difficulties, climate change and natural disasters to transnational crimes while the geopolitical and geoeconomic situations remain complicated.

Facing that fact, the bloc needs to persevere in the right to autonomy, tighten cooperation to respond to challenges in a timely and efficient manner, and capitalise on every opportunity, according to Sonexay Siphandone.

The 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and related summits are scheduled to take place from October 9 to 11.

(Source: VNA)