ASEAN, EU boost cooperation to address global challenges
Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi has called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union (EU) to continue fostering comprehensive cooperation to address increasingly complex global challenges.
The ASEAN-EU cooperation is being tested by the global situation which is facing enormous challenges. (Photo: AP)
Jakarta (VNA) - Indonesian Ministerof Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi has called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union (EU) tocontinue fostering comprehensive cooperation to address increasingly complex global challenges.
Addressing the ASEAN-EU Post MinisterialConference (PMC) within the framework of the 56th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting(AMM-56) in Jakarta on July 13, Retno said the ASEAN-EU cooperation is being tested by theglobal situation which is facing enormous challenges, adding that to navigatethese dynamics, the two sides must continue to enhance comprehensive cooperation.
She mentionedtwo important aspects for the ASEAN and the EU to overcome challenges, including maintaining an inclusiveregional architecture, and enhancing mutually beneficial cooperation.
༺ Retno emphasised that ASEAN has invested heavily inconstructing an inclusive regional architecture, expressing her hope that theEU would share the same view on the inclusive collaboration paradigm.
Accordingto the minister, the ASEAN and EU have great potential and they are eachother’s third largest trading partner. Both of them also have integratedeconomies with 450 million consumers in the EU and 650 million in ASEAN.
ℱ Indonesia hopes that the ASEAN-EU strategiccooperation can be strengthened based on the principles of mutual respect andmutual benefit, she said./.
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The 2nd ASEAN-EU Dialogue on Safe and Fair Labour Migration and the launch of awareness-raising campaign videos for the ASEAN Safe and Fair Migration Campaign, held in the Philippines on July 4-7, brought together over 70 policymakers, practitioners, and representatives of civil society and international organisations.
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Malaysia, as ASEAN 2025 Chair, marked the bloc’s 58th founding anniversary on August 8 with a vibrant celebration in Cyberjaya, blending an official ceremony with a colorful cultural festival.
Vietnam plays an important role in Southeast Asia’s economic growth and is a key partner of her country in realising the shared vision of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region, said Robyn Mudie, First Assistant Secretary of Office of Southeast Asia (OSA) – Southeast Asia Regional and Mainland Division at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
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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.
The ASEAN-EU cooperation is being tested by the global situation which is facing enormous challenges. (Photo: AP) 
