ASEAN celebrates 55th anniversary on 8 August

Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said on Monday that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) needs to stand in unity to address key challenges for the sake of regional peace, stability and sustainable development.

In a video message marking the ASEAN Day, Hun Sen, chair of Asean for 2022, said Cambodia is committed to upholding and promoting the groups centrality, unity, and solidarity to address common regional challenges.

“ASEAN needs to stand by on our unity for cooperation and mutual interest,” he said. “We will strive to focus on actions that bind us together for (the) greater prosperity of our region.”

Hun Sen said ASEAN has served as an open platform for constructive dialogue and consultation, which has enormously contributed to upholding peace and stability in the region.

Sergey Lavrov thanked Cambodia as chair of ASEAN, the coordinating country of the ASEAN–Russia Dialogue Partnership, for hosting the meeting on 4 August, as reported by RT.

"This year, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is celebrating 55th anniversary. For us Russians, the number 'five' is associated primarily with the grade that the best students receive in school. This grade is called "excellent".  And thus, history itself gives you the two highest grades. Russia supports your historic choice and is determined to strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership and expand practical cooperation in all spheres." 

Sergey Lavrov Russian Foreign Minister

Founded in 1967, Asean groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, as reported by Trinity Mirror, a partner of TV BRICS.

Photo: IStock