A performance at the closing ceremony of the 43rd ASEAN Summit and related summits. (Photo: VNA)
Jakarta (VNA) – The 43rd ASEAN Summit andrelated summits wrapped up in Jakarta, Indonesia on September 7 afternoon.
In his speech at the closing session, Indonesian PresidentJoko Widodo cal𓂃led on ASEAN countries to develop the Indo-Pacific region into a "theatre of peace and inclusiveness".
President Joko Widodosaid that it will serve as an important foundation,opening a better future for the people of ASEAN and the world. The Indonesian leaderemphasised that it is also the spirit of the 2023 ASEANChairmanship that Indonesia undertakes, with the theme "ASEAN Matters:Epicentrum of Growth." The IndonesianPresident said ASEAN's big duties will not finish in only onechairmanship. ASEAN will continue to face the complexity ofglobal challenges.
Therefore, he called on ASEANcountries to hand in hand navigatethe challenges to be opportunities, navigate the rivalries to becollaborations, navigate exclusivity to be inclusivity, and navigatedifferences to be unity.
Laos Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone (right) receiving the baton of the ASEAN chairmanship from Indonesian President Joko Widodo (left) at the closing ceremony of the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta on September 7. (Photo: VNA)
Indonesia handed the ASEAN chairmanship for 2024 to Laos at the closingceremony. For his part, LaoPrime Minister Sonexay Siphandone said that Laos willcontinue promote achievements that ASEAN made during the year Indonesia chaired ASEAN. He emphasised that, as the rotating Chair of ASEAN in 2024, Laos willfocus on promoting connectivity, seeking cooperationopportunities, and solving challenges in a global changing geopolitical context. The Lao PM affirmed that ASEAN needs to continue connectingto narrow the gap between member countries, promote dialogue, strengthen unitywithin the bloc, expand cooperation with partners as well as resolvedifferences to maintain peace, stability and development in the region. Finally, the Lao leader pledged to cooperate in improving leadershipcapacity, strengthening unity to ensure peace, stability and development,promoting digital transformation and economic integration, and facilitating people-to-people exchanges andcooperation to combat climate change. Founded in 1967, ASEANgroups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines,Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam./.
US Vice President Kamala Harris on September 6 affirmed that the US has an enduring commitment to Southeast Asia and, more broadly, to the Indo-Pacific.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on September 7 received World Bank (WB) President Ajay Banga in Jakarta on the sideline of the 43rd ASEAN Summit and related meetings in Indonesia.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Jakarta, Indonesia, on September 7 on the occasion of their attendance at the 43rd ASEAN Summit and related summits.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the ASEAN-Australia and ASEAN-United Nations Summits in Jakarta, Indonesia, on September 7, as part of the 43rd ASEAN Summit and related summits.
The 43rd ASEAN Summit and related summits have conveyed a strong message about a robust, self-reliant and dynamic ASEAN, Deputy Foreign Minister Do Hung Viet told the press about the outcomes of the summits which wrapped up in Jakarta, Indonesia after three days of sitting.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
A performance at the closing ceremony of the 43rd ASEAN Summit and related summits. (Photo: VNA) 
Laos Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone (right) receiving the baton of the ASEAN chairmanship from Indonesian President Joko Widodo (left) at the closing ceremony of the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta on September 7. (Photo: VNA) 
