Expressing his delight at the success of the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits and Related Summits, Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said, in the context that all countries are making efforts to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and solve the Myanmar issue, many issues have arisen, posing impacts on socio-economic and security aspects. However, ASEAN has controlled and dealt with those challenges, and gained many achievements in accordance with the theme set out for the ASEAN Chairmanship year of Cambodia: "ASEAN A.C.T.: Addressing Challenges Together."

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Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen (left) hands over the hammer symbolising the ASEAN Chairmanship to Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

According to the PM, in the past four working days, ASEAN completed comprehensive and substantive discussions on the upcoming directions to strengthen ASEAN's values and centrality in relations with external partners, in the context of rapid and complicated changes of the region and international situation.

ASEAN approved and took note of 70 documents and declarations covering the three pillars of the ASEAN Community; adopted cooperation frameworks with several dialogue partners; and issued a joint statement on the 20th anniversary of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

Taking over the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2023, Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced that the theme of ASEAN 2023 will be "ASEAN Matters: The Epicentrum of Growth."

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Indonesian President Joko Widodo delivers a speech at the event.

He also shared a number of priorities that Indonesia will promote next year on building the ASEAN Community, enhancing ASEAN's capacity and operational efficiency, promoting the bloc’s relations with partners, strengthening solidarity and promote the role and position of ASEAN in the region and the world.

Source: VNA