Oman

ASEAN Day marked in Muscat

 
ASEAN Committee in Muscat (ACM), an association of southeast Asian nations, celebrated ASEAN Day on August 8 in commemoration of the 56th anniversary of the establishment of ASEAN.

Themed 'ASEAN Matters -- Epicentrum of Growth', ASEAN Day is the annual commemoration of the founding of the regional intergovernmental organisation that fosters cooperation and integration among its 10 member states in Southeast Asia, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam.

On August 8 each year, member countries gather to celebrate the establishment of ASEAN. Throughout the ASEAN Day celebrations, member nations participate in various activities to promote regional solidarity and showcase ASEAN's achievements and objectives.

Suwat Kaewsook, Ambassador of Thailand and Chairman of the ACM, said for the past 56 years, ASEAN has been building a strong partnership of peace and stability for economic development and sustainability. The ASEAN community will be people-centred, leaving none behind and advancing towards the future altogether.

'I look forward to advancing ASEAN relationships with external partners, including Oman, in contributing towards continued peace, prosperity, and stability in the region in the years ahead,' said Noralizan Abdul Momin, Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam.

Mohamad Irzan Djohan, Ambassador of Indonesia, hoped that in partnership with ASEAN, member states could look forward to stability, growth, concrete implementation of the ASEAN outlook in the process of executing various treaties including in maritime cooperation, sustainable development initiatives, meeting SDG's, as well as other possible areas of cooperation.

'Malaysia has chosen 'Our people, our community, Our Vision' as the theme during its chairmanship of ASEAN in 2015, where we aimed to steer ASEAN closer to its people. To this end, ASEAN has prepared itself well in ushering the region into its new phase in terms of its cooperation building on the three pillars of the ASEAN community with the next milestone being 2025,' Shaiful Anuar Mohammad, Ambassador of Malaysia, said.

Jacqueline Joan S Arquiza, Chargé d'Affaires, Embassy of the the Philippines, expressed the commitment to work closely with fellow ASEAN members in the Sultanate of Oman through active participation in the ASEAN committee in Muscat.

'We believe that our connections will boost trade, investment and tourism growth in our own country and the ASEAN region as guided by its three fundamental pillars, political security, economic security and socio-cultural matters,' Arquiza added.

'ASEAN is unity in diversity, and the vision for ASEAN is to be a peaceful, stable and resilient region within a global community of nations while still maintaining ASEAN centrality. With enhanced capacity and capabilities, the ASEAN community will be able to respond effectively to challenges and to seize the opportunities,' said Syed Noureddin Syed Hashim, Chargé d'Affaires, Embassy of Singapore.

Bring collective developments in labour, trade, investment and cultural exchange.