Prime Minister Hun Manet is leading a high-level delegation to participate in the 44th & 45th ASEAN Summits and related summits in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) tomorrow to strengthen regional economic connectivity and resilience.
The 44th & 45th ASEAN Summits and related summits will be held in Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), from October 8-11.
Mr Hun Manet is leading a delegation at the invitation from the Chair of ASEAN for 2024, Sonexay Siphandone, Prime Minister of Lao PDR.
Sok Chenda Sophea, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MFAIC), Kith Meng, President of Cambodia Chamber of Commerce (CCC) and Chair of ASEAN BAC-Cambodia and other relevant ministers will accompany the Premier.
The summits held under the theme ‘ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience’ will focus on advancing community-building efforts toward realising the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 by utilising ASEAN-led mechanisms to foster cooperation and integration.
According to the Department of Information of MFAIC, the initiative aims to strengthen connectivity and resilience in the region and beyond, especially to address the present and emerging challenges effectively.
On the sidelines of the summits, Mr Hun Manet will attend the ASEAN Leaders’ Interface with representatives from the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC), the ASEAN Youth and the 2nd Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) leaders’ meeting.
The Premier is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with ASEAN and world leaders to enhance relations for mutual interests, the statement added.
Based on a CCC press release, Meng will lead a business delegation to the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (ABIS) 2024, which will focus on four key topics: ASEAN’s Positioning in Global Geopolitics, Enhancing Economic Connectivity and Resilience, ASEAN’s Role in the Global Economy, and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific.
The CCC delegation will also participate in the ASEAN Business Awards Gala Dinner 2024, an event organised to celebrate companies that have made significant contributions to ASEAN trade, economic growth and regional development, the statement added.
As Chair of ASEAN BAC-Cambodia, Meng will lead the council to join the ASEAN Leaders’ Interface with representatives of ASEAN BAC to review and seek possible solutions for common benefits.
Additionally, Meng and the delegation will have a meeting with Lord Vaizey, Chair of the UK-ASEAN Business Council to discuss potential cooperation to promote business and investment between the United Kingdom and Cambodia.
The ABIS is an annual event that brings together world leaders, CEOs, and senior executives from multinational and regional corporations. Organised by the ASEAN-BAC, the summit serves as a strategic platform to amplify the private sector’s voice in driving policy reforms and positioning ASEAN at the centre of global economic interconnectedness.
Speaking to Khmer Times, Nguon Mengtech, Director General of CCC said that ASEAN BAC is a platform that brings together business leaders from ten ASEAN member states to promote private sector engagement in the region’s economic integration and development.
“Each country was allowed to have three representatives, a total of 30 board members hosted by Laos PDR this year, to participate in the meeting where they will discuss all kinds of issues including economy, politics and security,” he added.
Mengtech emphasised that the meeting aimed at finding a fair solution, enabling all ASEAN member countries to collaborate effectively as a cohesive unit.
