January 06, 2018 | 22:02 (GMT+7)
ASEAN member states called for closer cooperation
Former Secretary General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Le Luong Minh has called for more efforts of and closer cooperation among the group’s member nations to promote intra-bloc development.
In his speech in a ceremony of
office transfer in Jakarta,
Indonesia on
January 5, Minh highlighted the significance of the formation of the ASEAN
Community, which he described as an important milestone proving the group’s
dynamic development as well as its member states’ political spirit and solid
commitments.
For his part, new ASEAN Secretary
General Lim Jock Hoi showed his honor and pride to take on this position.
He emphasized the need to maintain
and enhance the central role played by ASEAN in the context of complicated
regional and global developments.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno
Marsudi remarked that apart from fostering its development to bring benefits to
people in the region, ASEAN needs to do more for the world.
While mentioning common challenges
ASEAN will face in the future, she called on member nations to continue active
contributions to the group’s development.
On the occasion, the ASEAN
Secretariat organized the ground-breaking ceremony for its new building which
is situated next to the existing one.
The 16-floor building is expected to
be completed after one year of construction.
Source: VNA