Laos celebrates Asean Day

Laos celebrated the 51st anniversary of the founding of Asean and the 21st anniversary of the country’s accession to Asean with a flag hoisting ceremony on Friday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The ceremony was attended by the ministers overseeing the three Asean community pillars, deputy ministers, ambassadors of Asean member states and dialogue partners to Laos, as well as representatives of international organisations.

Opening the ceremony, Mr Saleumxay Kommasith, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Laos highlighted Asean’s achievements over the past more than half a century, despite limitations and challenges along the way.

“The Asean region and its people have enjoyed regional peace and stability as well as the results of enhanced cooperation among Asean member states and between Asean and its friends across the world, particularly Asean’s dialogue partners,” he said.

“Asean today is one of the world’s most successful regional organisations that is outward-looking and instrumental in the open and inclusive regional architecture with Asean at the centre,” he added.

“Laos is proud to be a part of the Asean family. Thanks to the assistance, support and cooperation from Asean member states and all Asean’s partners, we have been able to fulfil our commitments and obligations as a member state over the past two decades.”

The minister expressed his gratitude for the outpouring of support, swift assistance and relief efforts given by Asean member states, the Asean Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre), dialogue partners of Asean, other friendly countries and international organisations in the wake of the flood caused by the collapse of a dam at the Xe-Pien Xe-Namnoy hydropower plant in Attapeu province.

He said this demonstrated the solidarity and spirit of caring and sharing within Asean as well as between Asean and its external partners.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations was established on August 8, 1967. Asean now has 10 members, namely Brunei Darussalam, the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Republic of Indonesia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Singapore, the Kingdom of Thailand, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Editor: John Li