Cambodia lists priorities as Asean chair
Yin Soeum / Khmer Times
Cambodia is ready to host the ASEAN Summit 2022 was the message Foreign Affairs Minister Prak Sokhonn told the diplomatic corps yesterday at a meeting organised to keep ambassadors and local media apprised of the Kingdom’s priorities during its chairmanship.
Sokhonn said the emphasis will be on the political-security dimension.
He added that the Asean joint statement listed priorities for the coming year as climate change, strengthening social work toward a cohesive and responsive Asean community, educating Asean members about the environment and developing a regional plan of action on children in the context of migration.
Asean will lead a forum on a local community leader exchange programme and they also plan to discuss other issues relating to rural development and poverty to develop an Eradication Masterplan and reinforce a creative and adaptive Asean community to support the culture and creative economy said Sokhonn.
However, he also said that while Cambodia hosts Asean meetings next year as chair, an envoy will make a short visit to Myanmar before the summit starts to try and facilitate with the Myanmar government to end the violence that is happening now in their country.
In hopes of improving the situation in Myanmar, Prime Minister Hun Sen will visit the country on January 7-8, creating a conducive environment for inclusive dialogue and political trust among all parties concerned.
The envoy will try to achieve common ground on a process toward ending violence and obtaining concurrence among relevant stakeholders on expediting humanitarian relief and vaccinations to reach those most in need is on the top of our agenda, said Sokhonn.
Cambodia will also promote health, wellbeing and social protection for the people of Asean and will further strengthen its capacity and capability to respond to new challenges such as disasters, pandemics and climate change without leaving anyone behind, he said.
“The importance of addressing the arising tension in the South China Sea reflects the urgent need to conclude a substantive and effective Code of Conduct (CoC). We hope to achieve sufficient momentum to finalise this important document by the end of this year and conduct activities to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the CoC,” said Sokhonn.“We don’t want Myanmar to fall into a civil war like Cambodia in the past. Regarding the current violence in Naypyidaw, as a policy, Asean cannot interfere with Myanmar policy but we just want to end the conflict within the country while Cambodia is chair of Asean next year,” he said.
Other priorities under the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) pillar include Timor-Leste’s membership in Asean.
“We are committed to expedite Timor-Leste’s membership, by facilitating the completion of all necessary procedures stipulated in Article 6 of the ASEAN Charter for admission of Timor- Leste into the Asean family,” said Sokhonn.
Sokhonn said that seeking to ensure tangibility of benefits for people across the whole region leaving no one behind with concrete action will be pursued through inter-agency cooperation to implement the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals.
He said that Asean nations need to begin preparations now for a post-2025 Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) that includes enhanced protection of migrant workers, further narrowing of development gaps, realisation of regional integration, promotion of climate-resilient development and support for digital transformation.
