Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh joined leaders of other ASEAN member countries, ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi, and representatives of partners and international organisations at the opening ceremony.
Addressing the event, Cambodian PM Samdech Techo Hun Sen highlighted the significance of the bloc’s 55th founding anniversary, which marks a long path of regional connectivity and cooperation and enhances the cohesion among ASEAN members for the common goal of peace, self-reliance, and development.
The 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits and related summits are an occasion for countries to make review and renew determination to strive for a united, resilient, inclusive, and rules-based future, he noted.
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| Cambodian PM Samdech Techo Hun Sen addresses the opening ceremony of the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits on November 11 morning. (Photo: VNA) |
After three years of the COVID-19 pandemic, with solidarity and persistent efforts by each member country and the whole ASEAN, it could be said that the bloc has succeeded in surmounting the pandemic and resume economic activities, he went on.
The Cambodian leader stressed the need to be fully aware that ASEAN and the region are facing numerous difficulties and challenges, which urgently requires an overall approach and sound vision, orientations, and policies. This is also the theme of ASEAN in 2022 - “Addressing Challenges Together”.
In that context, ASEAN gives the highest priority to maintaining solidarity, unanimity, and centrality to overcome challenges together and build a resilient community for all people. Looking towards the future, the bloc should strongly uphold the values that have made its successes over the more than five decades, PM Hun Sen added.
After the opening ceremony, ASEAN leaders attended a plenary session of the 40th ASEAN Summit and a retreat meeting of the 41st summit.
