The following are the outcomes of the participation of Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation H.E. Prak Sokhonn in the Special ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and the 12th Delhi Dialogue held in New Delhi on June 16:
His Excellency Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, attended the Special ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations, and the 12th Delhi Dialogue under the theme “Building Bridges in the Indo-Pacific”, which were held in New Delhi, on 16 June 2022.
Prior to the Special ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, His Excellency Prak Sokhonn, along with other ASEAN Foreign Ministers, made a courtesy call on the Honorable Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the Republic of India. Taking this opportunity, he conveyed Samdech Techo Prime Minister Hun Sen’s best wishes to the Honourable Prime Minister of India and recalled the recent fruitful virtual conversation between the two Prime Ministers. His Excellency Deputy Prime Minister reaffirmed Cambodia’s commitment to strengthening ASEAN-India and Cambodia-India relations and thanked India for supporting Cambodia’s Chairmanship of ASEAN under the theme “ASEAN A.C.T: Addressing Challenges Together.
During the Special Meeting, the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN and India recognized many achievements made in the past 30 years of fruitful cooperation and reaffirmed their shared commitment to further deepening ASEAN-India broad-based strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in the region. The Foreign Minister of India pledged full support for ASEAN centrality in the ASEAN-led mechanism and ASEAN Community building efforts, through the realization of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) 2025 and Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI), among others. In expressing appreciation for India’s support, ASEAN Foreign Ministers also spoke highly of India’s contribution to fighting against COVID-19 worldwide, including in ASEAN region. The Ministers welcomed the organization of several activities to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations, including the designation of 2022 as the “ASEAN-India Friendship Year” with supporting events to promote people-to-people connectivity, tourism and cultural exchanges.
On the future direction of ASEAN-India relations and cooperation, the Ministers agreed to work jointly towards establishing ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership that is meaningful, substantive and mutually beneficial, considering the vast potential of the growing relations. The Ministers expressed satisfaction with the steady progress achieved under the current ASEAN-India Cooperation Work Plan and looked forwards to the implementation of the Joint Statement on ASEAN-India Cooperation on the AOIP for Peace, Stability and Prosperity in the Region.
Both sides emphasized the importance of further increasing the depth and scope of ASEAN-India cooperation in various areas, in order to recover more resilient from the COVID-19 pandemic and ensure long-term inclusive and sustainable development in the region that is at peace, stable and harmonious. Among the areas highlighted during the discussion include enhancing public health capacity, vaccine production, traditional medicines, blue economy, climate-smart agriculture, management of natural resources, renewable and clean energy, human resources development with emphasis on in science, technology and innovation, land-air-sea connectivity.
The Ministers encouraged the effective utilization of the ASEAN-India Fund (AIF), the ASEAN-India Green Fund (AIGF), the ASEAN-India Science and Technology Development Fund, as well as India’s offer of the line of credit for connectivity projects. To facilitate and increase trade and economic exchanges, the Ministers underscored the importance of expediting the review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) and called for an early resumption of safe and sustainable tourism. ASEAN also encouraged India to support digital transformation and e-commerce in the region through development of digital infrastructure and manpower.
During the Meeting, Excellency Deputy Prime Minister expressed appreciation for India commitment to uphold ASEAN centrality and to actively engage with ASEAN in contributing to regional peace, stability and prosperity, as encapsulated in the Co-Chairs Statement of the Special ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers Meeting. On the economic front, he stressed the importance of redoubling joint efforts to achieve ASEAN-India target two-way trade value of USD 200 billion. He also called for the early completion of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, with an extension to Cambodia, Laos and Viet Nam, emphasizing the salience of the synergies between the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) 2025 and India’s connectivity under the Act East Policy. On the socio-cultural front, Excellency Deputy Prime Minister reiterated the importance of mitigating the digital divide and promoting digital literacy. He called for continued support for activities under the IAI Work Plan IV, with a stronger focus on empowering SMEs, women and young entrepreneurs through digital capacity building.
The Foreign Ministers of ASEAN and India also exchanged views on regional and international issues of common concern and interest, including the development in Myanmar, the South China Sea, Korean peninsula, and impacts of the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Later during the day, His Excellency Deputy Prime addressed the 12th Delhi Dialogue under the theme “Building Bridges in the Indo-Pacific”, which discussed on the potentials of mutually beneficial ASEAN and India cooperation in addressing pressing challenges to sustainable development, environment, healthcare, digital connectivity, cultural linkages, cyber security, resilient global and regional value chains, trade and investment, energy and climate action and recovery efforts from the COVID-19 pandemic.
His Excellency Deputy Prime Minister underscored the importance of the full implementation of the ASEAN-India Joint Statement on Cooperation on the AOIP for Peace, Stability and Prosperity in the Region, and complementarities between the AOIP and Indo-Pacific Ocean’s Initiative (IPOI) initiated by India. He touched on people-to-people connectivity and placed emphasis on the resumption tourism sector. He reiterated the importance of an early completion of the trilateral highway with an extension to Cambodia, Laos and Viet Nam to stimulate more economic and trade transactions as well as people-to-people exchanges between the two regions. He also encouraged India to further support ASEAN capacity building in digital innovation so that the region can adapt to the IR 4.0.
Excellency Deputy Prime Minister articulated that upholding and maintaining the rules-based multilateral trading system is of great significance for the two regions and the world to accelerate socio-economic development and sustainable growth as the system has been the bedrock of our prosperity for over the last 7 decades.
On the sideline of the above events, His Excellency Deputy Prime Minister also had a separate meeting with Her Excellency Pornpimol Kanchanalak, Special Envoy of His Excellency Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, to exchange views on the provision of Humanitarian assistance to those in most need in Myanmar.
Source: Agency Kampuchea Press