49th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting opens in Vientiane
The 49 th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM 49) opened in Vientiane, the capital city of Laos, on July 24 under the chair of Laos, the rotary Chair of the ASEAN this year.
The 49th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting opens in Vientiane (Source: VNA)
Vientiane (VNA) – The 49 th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM 49) opened in Vientiane, the capital city of Laos, on July 24 under the chair of Laos, the rotary Chair of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year.
The Vietnamese delegation to the meeting is led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.
In an opening speech, Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith stressed that AMM 49 and related meetings are taking place at a crucial moment when ASEAN is making all-out efforts to implement the ASEAN Vision to 2025 and strengthen its partnership with outside partners. At the same time, the regional and world situation is seeing rapid changes which bring both opportunities and challenges.
The Lao PM, therefore, called on foreign ministers of ASEAN and partner countries hold candid and constructive discussions to prepare for the 28 th and 29 th ASEAN Summits and related meetings scheduled for early September in Vientiane, as well as to contribute to maintaining and promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world as a whole.
Addressing the ceremony, Lao Foreign Minister Saleumsay Kommasith highlighted the great strides made by ASEAN during nearly 50 years of its existence, not only in expanding the bloc’s membership but also achieving the formation of the ASEAN Community at the end of 2015. He stressed that the bloc’s success is attributable to peace and stability in the region and the active cooperation of member countries.
During their meeting, ASEAN foreign ministers are to discuss issues related to intra-bloc cooperation, community building and the bloc’s external relations, including accelerating the implementation of the blueprint on realising the ASEAN Politicial-Security Community’s Vision to 2025, enhancing the ASEAN’s central role, reforming the bloc’s apparatus and working style as well as considering the revision of the ASEAN Charter.
ღ The meeting is also expected to consider Timor Leste’s proposal to join the ASEAN and countries’ requests to participate in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia or to become official partners of the bloc.-VNA
Senior officials from ASEAN member countries met in Vientiane, Laos on July 22 to discuss the preparation of the agenda and documents for the 49th AMM which is slated for July 23-26.
Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith and Vice President Phankham Viphavan hailed the fruitful relations between the two Parties, States, Governments and peoples of Vietnam and Laos.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh will attend the 49th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and related meetings in Vientiane, Laos from July 23-26.
Agenda for the 49th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and related meetings have been completed, with focus on mapping out orientations for the growth of ASEAN cooperation with partners.
The DES Ministry will seek cooperation from social media platforms to prevent the spread of fake news and monitor accounts related to such activities, he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the newly established Anti-Fake News Centre (AFNC).
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking identified the US tariff reduction as a significant driver behind the improved economic outlook for Thailand.
Financial institutions and financial technology (fintech) players are intensifying their focus on expanding across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adopting tailored strategies to strengthen their presence in the region’s digital financial services landscape.
Featuring a permanent exhibition area, the ASEAN Hall will function both as a cultural showcase and as a dynamic venue for ASEAN-related events and programmes. Its inauguration on ASEAN Day added symbolic weight, marking a fresh milestone in ASEAN–RoK relations.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce and rice exporters are devising strategic plans to boost rice exports amid global market fluctuations, focusing on key markets and adjusting output.
The focus of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October will be on strengthening economic relations through intra-regional trade and investment, as well as regional initiatives on energy networks and connectivity.
Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Indonesia is accelerating plans to increase lithium imports, particularly from Australia, in a bid to fill gaps in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain and realise its ambition of becoming a global EV manufacturing hub.
Malaysia’s gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) reached 1.01% of gross domestic product in 2022, a notable increase, with more than 51% contributed by the industry sector. The country is targeting GERD to reach 2.5% by 2030, in line with the national goal of transforming into a high-technology nation.
The facility was established in response to a growing shift in the Filipino labour force from the Middle East to Japan, where workers are seeking safer working environments.
In the latest Indonesia-US trade agreement in July, the US administration agreed to reduce the reciprocal tariff, which was initially set at 32% by US President Donald Trump last April, to 19%.
Real estate agency ERA Singapore estimated that there are 2,703 condo developments in Singapore today, of which 836 or 31% are at least 30 years old. In 10 years, this number is expected to climb to 1,160, assuming none is sold en bloc.
The 49th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting opens in Vientiane (Source: VNA)
