Source: AKP
Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, together with his ASEAN counterparts attended the 36th ASEAN Summit (Plenary Session) via Videoconference.
This summit was held on June 26 under the theme “Cohesive and Responsive” and chaired by H.E. Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
Samdech Techo Prime Minister was accompanied by H.E. Prak Sokhonn, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, H.E. Dr. Hang Chuon Naron, Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, H.E. Pan Sorasak, Minister of Commerce, H.E. Dr. Mam Bunheng, Minister of Health, as well as a number of senior government officials.
In his opening remarks, Samdech Techo Hun Sen highlighted that this summit reflected Vietnam’s able leadership of ASEAN, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Since its inception 53 years ago, this is the first time that ASEAN conducts the Annual Summit via Videoconference. This unprecedented meeting shows ASEAN’s top-level commitment, strong resilience and adaptability to the current situation. At the same time, we are striving to advance the development of ASEAN Community building and garner solidarity under multilateral framework while the global crisis is affecting all of us,” he underlined.
Regarding this regional summit, Dr. Chheang Vannarith, President of the leading think tank in Cambodia, the Asian Vision Institute (AVI) told AKP that this summit represented the idea of upholding the unity, solidarity and internal strength of ASEAN, increasing economic connectivity, deepening the ASEAN values and identities, and enhancing the efficiency of the bloc’s apparatus and promoting ASEAN’s partnerships with the global community.
“It reflects the needs of ASEAN to increase its proactiveness, creativeness and responsiveness to opportunities and challenges deriving from global and regional situation,” he added.
The ASEAN Summit is the supreme policy-making body of ASEAN nations. It has comprised the heads of state or government of each member state. Accordingly, the Chairmanship of ASEAN rotates annually, based on the alphabetical order of the English names of ASEAN member states.