Vientiane, Laos, 27 July 2024 (Lao News Agency)

The 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting reviewed the progress in building the ASEAN Community, including the advancements made under Laos' ASEAN Chairmanship with the theme "Enhancing ASEAN Connectivity and Resilience." The meeting focused on the development of strategic plans to implement the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, which includes political-security, economic, socio-cultural community strategies, and connectivity strategies.

The meeting also discussed applications for membership in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia and expressed satisfaction that Algeria, Finland, Luxembourg, Spain, and Mexico will sign the treaty soon.

On July 25, 2024, at the National Convention Centre in Vientiane, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Saleumxay Kommasith presided over the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and the Tripartite Meeting between Laos, the ASEAN Secretariat, and Norway.

The ASEAN Foreign Ministers also reviewed the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus of ASEAN leaders, ASEAN's external relations, and reiterated the importance of ASEAN centrality in regional cooperation frameworks. They exchanged views on prominent regional and international issues of mutual interest.

Laos Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Saleumxay Kommasith also chaired the Tripartite Meeting between Laos, the ASEAN Secretariat, and Norway. The meeting highlighted the progress of ASEAN-Norway sectoral partnership since its establishment in 2015, focusing on the appendix of the ASEAN-Norway Plan of Action (2021-2025). Future cooperation directions were also discussed.

He held bilateral meetings with several ASEAN member states and ASEAN dialogue partners to discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation.

Today on Saturday, 27th July in Vientiane, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Saleumxay Kommasith, chaired the 25th ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the 14th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, and the 31st ASEAN Regional Forum.

He also led the delegation to participate in the ASEAN-U.S. Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

The 25th ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (China, Japan, and Republic of Korea) reviewed past cooperation under the ASEAN Plus Three framework and encouraged the establishment of the ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation Work Plan for 2023-2027. The meeting highly valued the cooperation under the ASEAN Plus Three framework as an important regional cooperation platform to address various challenges, such as pandemics, financial crises, food security, and others. The meeting supported the proposal of the Lao PDR to issue a statement of the ASEAN Plus Three Leaders on strengthening regional supply chain connectivity for endorsement at the 27th ASEAN Plus Three Summit in Vientiane in October 2024.

The 14th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting reviewed past cooperation and the establishment of the EAS Plan of Action for 2024-2028.

The meeting endorsed enhancing cooperation with a focus on priority areas such as energy and food security, education, climate change, and environmental protection, health, among others.

The meeting reaffirmed the centrality of ASEAN and its role in leading the East Asia Summit as a strategic dialogue and cooperation forum on political, economic, and security issues that benefit the region, promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and the world in line with ASEAN’s fundamental principles.

The ASEAN-U.S. Foreign Ministers’ Meeting reviewed ASEAN-U.S. relations and cooperation and set directions to strengthen future ASEAN-U.S. cooperation, focusing on new areas such as digital transformation, technology, and innovation.

The meeting also discussed preparations for the 12th ASEAN-U.S. Summit to be held in October 2024, including the progress in drafting the ASEAN-U.S. Leaders’ Statement on promoting safe, secure, and trustworthy innovation.

The 31st ASEAN Regional Forum reviewed the implementation of various plans and activities and future directions of the ASEAN Regional Forum. The forum considered and endorsed important documents, including: Work Plan for 2024-2025; Mid-Term Plan of Action on Combating Terrorism and Transnational Crime 2024-2026; Mid-Term Plan of Action on Disaster Relief 2024-2027; and ASEAN Regional Forum Statement on Maritime Security Cooperation.

In addition, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting also discussed promoting the role of the ASEAN Regional Forum to be more effective, ensuring ASEAN's central role in such mechanisms, and exchanged views on regional and international issues, particularly challenges to stability in the Asia-Pacific region, including the situation in the South China Sea, the Korean Peninsula, Myanmar, the Middle East, and Ukraine.