In a titah at the Plenary Session of the 40th ASEAN Summit, His Majesty highlighted that over the last 55 years, ASEAN has made numerous achievements in maintaining peace and prosperity in the region. Therefore, His Majesty in the titah underscores that ASEAN should redouble its efforts to advance the community-building process, by taking advantage of various opportunities such as digital transformation and the ongoing work in implementing and upgrading Free Trade Agreements, this would help ensure ASEAN's competitiveness and resilience.

His Majesty also welcomes the launching of the ASEAN Junior Fellowship Programme in August 2021, which would equip the young people of ASEAN with knowledge of the inner workings of ASEAN, and foster good relations among them. In striving to achieve a united and inclusive community, His Majesty expresses support for Timor-Leste's membership to ASEAN and to become an observer in the meantime, while finalising the terms of accession.

His Majesty adds that ASEAN is currently engaged in one of its most critical works through the post-2025 visioning process, in which Brunei Darussalam prioritises an ASEAN with stronger neighbourly relations, as well as closer friendship and cooperation. In this process, His Majesty underscores that ASEAN needs to balance pragmatism and ambition to ensure that it remains stable and progressive while staying true to its identity.

His Majesty in the titah also expressed appreciation to His Excellency Dato Paduka Lim Jock Hoi, Secretary-General of ASEAN for his valuable contributions to ASEAN over the last five years, and expressed support for Dr Kao Kim Hourn of the Kingdom of Cambodia as the next Secretary-General.

His Majesty in the titah also affirms that ASEAN needs to strengthen its institutional capacity and effectiveness to ensure that it can take advantage of its strategic value and skillfully navigate challenges and opportunities. Earlier, His Excellency the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia in a speech underscored the importance of collective endeavours to tackle existing and emerging challenges, and reiterated Cambodia's commitment in ensuring that ASEAN Community-building efforts are sustained towards achieving peace, stability, security and sustainable development.

During the Plenary Session, Leaders were presented with a report from His Excellency Dato Paduka Lim Jock Hoi, Secretary-General of ASEAN which highlighted ASEAN's achievements in recovering together from the COVID-19 pandemic through significant economic growth of 5 point 1 percent; the upgrading of key trade agreements with Dialogue Partners as well as the signing of the ASEAN-European Union, EU Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement.

ASEAN Leaders also emphasised the importance of unity and centrality in ensuring that ASEAN is able to respond to common challenges and furthermore enhance cooperation in areas such as food and energy security, as well as digital development.

At the end of the Plenary Session, the ASEAN Leaders' Vision Statement on ASEAN A.C.T: Addressing Challenges Together; ASEAN Leaders' Statement on 55th Anniversary of ASEAN; ASEAN Leaders' Statement on ASEAN Connectivity Post-2025 Agenda; and ASEAN Leaders' Statement on the Application of Timor-Leste for ASEAN Membership were adopted.

Source:
RTB NEWS

by RTB NEWS

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