More than 100 Foreign Ministers gather in Brussels
Ministers from ASEAN and European Union were meeting in Brussels on Monday to review past cooperation and further strengthen ties between the regions.
They will discuss the implementation of the Asean-EU Plan of Action for 2018-2022, which covers security, trade and investment, connectivity and sustainable development, according to a Thai Foreign Ministry press statement.
Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva also participates in the meetings.
The ministers are also expected to discuss the situation in Myanmar’s strife-torn Rakhine state, notably the stalemate in repatriating Myanmar refugees from Bangladesh, and political developments in Thailand, according to an official involved in the meeting who spoke on condition of anonymity. Other topics include climate change, transnational crime, cyber security, border management and illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, the ministry said.
The discussion will end with all ministers and representatives signing the Joint Statement of the 22nd Asean-EU Ministerial Meeting to affirm the agreed-upon commitments. Attendees include the foreign ministers of all member states, the Asean secretary-general and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and vice president of the EU. Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai is speaking for Asean, which Thailand is chairing this year.
Source: nationmultimedia.com