วันอังคารที่ 30 พฤศจิกายน 2564
Opening Remarks by H.E. General Prayut Chan-o-cha (Ret.) Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, as Regional Coordinator for the ASEAN Group at the Opening Session of the 13th A
Opening Remarks by
H.E. General Prayut Chan-o-cha (Ret.)
Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand,
as Regional Coordinator for the ASEAN Group
at the Opening Session of the 13th Asia-Europe Meeting
Thursday, 25 November 2021
Opening Remarks by
H.E. General Prayut Chan-o-cha (Ret.)
Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand,
as Regional Coordinator for the ASEAN Group
at the Opening Session of the 13thAsia-Europe Meeting
Thursday, 25 November 2021
Mr. Chair, Your Majesty, Excellencies,
As Regional Coordinator for the ASEAN Group, Thailand is pleased to join
in the commemoration of the 25thanniversary of the establishment of the Asia-Europe Meeting, or ASEM, which held its first Summit in the ASEAN region, here in Bangkok.
Thailand is also pleased that Cambodia, as host country, has set the theme of “Strengthening Multilateralism for Shared Growth” for our discussions at this year’s Meeting. Indeed, multilateralism lies at the heart of the cooperation that we need to lead the world out of crisis, whether it be the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change or conflict among nations. And because the crises we face are global in nature, we need multilateralism to ensure a collaborative response from all countries.
Advancing multilateralism, however, is more than simply coming together to engage in discussion, but should produce tangible cooperation on the basis of shared interest and mutual benefit among all parties. And such cooperation must prioritise
the people’s well-being as well as sustainable development.
The discussion among ASEM Leaders over the next two days should give importance to cooperation in 5 areas, in line with both the concept of the 5Ps under the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the general views of the ASEAN Group as follows:
First is People. Creating security for the more than 4 billion people of ASEM is an issue of utmost importance, and this includes their health security, wellbeing and safety. People must be front and centre in all development initiatives, and we must not leave anyone behind. ASEM countries, for instance, should accelerate the equitable and inclusive distribution of COVID-19 vaccines as well as promote universal health coverage.
Second is Partnership, in particular fostering equal partnership between Asia and Europe on the basis of mutual trust, mutual respect and mutual benefit. On this note, ASEM should focus on strengthening multilateral partnerships to tackle global challenges under the framework of international organisations such as the UN, WTO and WHO.
Third is Peace. The cooperation between Asia and Europe needs to create a conducive environment for regional and global peace. This is because we know all too well the adverse effects that regional conflicts can have on the people’s wellbeing. ASEM therefore needs to play a role in helping to prevent competition and conflict among countries from escalating to a global level.
Fourth is Prosperity. In order for ASEM to prosper together, we must adhere to the rules-based multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core. ASEM also needs to give importance to ensuring that people can not only adapt, but also thrive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution era. Therefore, upskilling and reskilling of the labour force, enhancing the capacity of SMEs as well as strengthening the global supply chain should be priorities.
And last but not least, the Planet. Asia and Europe need to work together to preserve our planet through adopting a balanced approach towards development as our compass. In this connection, we should emphasise our efforts on climate change, the environment and biodiversity to ensure that all countries can achieve the SDGs by 2030.
I hope that this Meeting will allow for an exchange of experiences and ideas in ways that will contribute to making the world more balanced, harmonious, peaceful, prosperous and sustainable. I thank you.
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