The ASEAN Foreign Ministers at the 24th ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Council Meeting exchanged views on the recent developments of the Sectoral Bodies under APSC and welcomed the significant progress made in implementing the APSC Blueprint 2025, despite the COVID-19 disruption, according to a press release AKP received her this morning.
The Meeting endorsed the report of the 24th APSC Council Meeting to be submitted to the 38th and 39th ASEAN Summits for notation. In moving forward, the Ministers underlined the importance of completing the remaining action lines under this Blueprint to ensure an effective ASEAN Community Building process.
The Ministers also touched on issues of common interest and concern with bearing on regional peace, security and stability. They reaffirmed ASEAN’s strong commitment to upholding ASEAN Centrality and unity in ASEAN-led mechanisms and promoting confidence between ASEAN and external partners. The Meeting also agreed on encouraging greater participation of youth and women in building peace and security.
In the meeting, H.E. Prak Sokhonn, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation joined other ASEAN Member States in applauding the advancements made in implementing the APSC Blueprint. He expressed concern that the rise of geopolitical tension and major power rivalries may escalate arm races and destabilise regional peace. In this regard, he stressed the importance of upholding ASEAN’s principles in preserving the South East Asian region as a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone and the signing of the Protocol to the SEANWFZ Treaty by the 5 Nuclear-power nations. He informed the Meeting on the recent launch of the “Friends of ASEAN Regional Mine Action Centre” in Phnom Penh to support the Centre’s activities on humanitarian aspects of demining.
H.E. Prak Sokhonn expressed concerns on the job security and well-being of migrant workers in the region, and underlined Cambodia’s support for the recommendations of the 14th ASEAN Forum on Migrant Labour (AFML) on extending social protection to migrant workers, and mobilizing international support for their upskill and reskill programmes.
Source: Agency Kampuchea Press