PhnomPenhPost-Oct 4, 2022
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn has urged all ASEAN member states to strengthen links with development partners to launch connectivity initiatives and cooperation projects throughout the region. Speaking at the 13th ASEAN Connectivity Symposium in Phnom Penh on October 3, he said the future of the region depends on the strength of regional competitiveness. Sokhonn emphasised the need to enhance regional connectivity in boosting regional competitiveness, which could only come from a well-connected bloc acting in unison. “For ASEAN, the approach is about getting maximum synergy from all the various existing connectivity initiatives to extract the necessary value added,” Sokhonn said. Sokhonn said entry into force of the mega Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade deal would drive the regional economy. There was a need to align the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) 2025, he said, so it could link various strategies and initiatives in the region to support an inclusive, sustainable and resilient ASEAN. ASEAN secretary-general Lim Jock Hoi highlighted the need for ASEAN to be resilient, adaptable and responsive to ever changing needs. “While we continue to plan for the future, we need to build a dynamic link between thinking about the future and taking actions in the present,” he said. He added that ASEAN must work with all partners in the short, medium, and long term, and demonstrate that “the resources they invested in the region will benefit them as much as it benefits ASEAN”. Read more at: https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/fm-pushes-asean-synergy-compete-global-level
