ASEAN leaders gather in Vientiane for the 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits held between September 6 to 8. / AFP PHOTO / YE AUNG THU
Closing Remarks By H.E. Thongloun Sisoulith, Prime Minister of the Lao PDR at the Closing Ceremony of the 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits and related Summits and Handing Over of ASEAN Chairmanship to the Republic of the Philippines 8 September 2016, National Convention Centre ——–
Your Majesty, Excellencies,Heads of State and Government, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits and related Summits held under the theme “Turning Vision into Reality for a Dynamic ASEAN Community” have concluded with great success. It has been a great honor and pleasure for the Lao PDR to host and welcome Leaders of ASEAN Member States, ASEAN’s Dialogue Partners, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Secretary-General of ASEAN, and all distinguished guests and delegates in Vientiane.
During the past three days, we had comprehensive and fruitful discussions on strengthening and advancing the ASEAN Community, maintaining and promoting ASEAN’s relevance as well as ASEAN’s centrality in its external relations, especially in the evolving regional architecture. We also exchanged views in a candid manner on regional and international issues of common interest and concern.
We adopted and noted various frameworks and declarations across the three pillars of the ASEAN Community as well as cooperation frameworks between ASEAN and its Dialogue Partners, a total of 57 outcome documents. These include, among others, two documents as an integral part of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, namely the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Work Plan III and the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025. Other frameworks and declarations are aimed at implementing the 8 priorities of Laos’ ASEAN Chairmanship 2016 as well as the three ASEAN Community Blueprints 2025.
2016 is the first year of the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025. During our Summits, we adopted several documents aiming at “Turning Vision into Reality for a Dynamic ASEAN Community”. The next step is of great importance as we need to translate these documents into concrete actions. To this end, we have entrusted the three community pillars and ASEAN sectoral bodies to undertake actions with the assistance of the Secretary-General of ASEAN or the ASEAN Secretariat in the follow up and reporting the progress to the ASEAN Summit every year.
I am convinced that all ASEAN sectoral bodies, ASEAN Secretariat as well as ASEAN Member States will spare no efforts towards the effective implementation of the outcomes of these Summits, the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the three community Blueprints, thus contributing to the common cause of maintaining and promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world at large.
Your Majesty, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The success of the 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits and related Summits as well as the ASEAN Chairmanship of the Lao PDR thus far has been possible due to the valuable assistance, support and cooperation accorded to us by ASEAN Member States, ASEAN’s Dialogue Partners, other external parties as well as friendly countries and regional and international organizations. Taking this opportunity, on behalf of the Lao Government and the Lao multi-ethnic people, I would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to you all for such assistance and support, and I look forward to your continued assistance and support for Lao PDR’s ASEAN Chairmanship until 31 December 2016 and in the coming years.
I trust that under the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairmanship in 2017, in addition to the meaningful celebration of the 50th Anniversary of ASEAN, the ASEAN Community will continue to gain new achievements in order to turn the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 into reality with concrete outcomes. The Lao PDR will continue to extend its full support to the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairmanship and cooperate with ASEAN Member States, ASEAN’s Dialogue Partners, external parties, friendly countries and regional and international organizations in order to contribute to further strengthening the ASEAN Community and external enhancing cooperation with external partners based on the ASEAN Way and ASEAN principles.
Your Excellency, President Rodrigo Duterte, on this auspicious occasion, I have the honour to hand over the ASEAN Chairmanship to the Republic of the Philippines starting from the 1st of January 2017. Thank you.
(Speech courtesy asean.org)
