The event saw the presence of Governor-General of Australia David Hurley and his spouse, ambassadors and diplomats of ASEAN countries, along with many senior officials of the Australian parliament and government. Vietnamese Ambassador Ngo Huong Nam and members of Vietnam’s representative agencies in Australia also attended the celebration.
In his speech, Myanmar Ambassador Tha Aung Nyun, who is also holding the rotational chairmanship of the ASEAN Committee in Canberra, said after 52 years, ASEAN has become a politically cohesive, economically integrated and socially responsible community that is oriented towards and centres on people. Its member countries have stayed united in diversity and together developed and managed differences among them in a positive and constructive manner.
ASEAN is working towards a full community which was set up on December 31, 2015. To that end, its members pledge to effectively work with the bloc’s dialogue partners and other relevant parties while maintaining its centrality and solidarity, he stressed.
Regarding ASEAN-Australia relations, the Myanmar ambassador hailed the strides in their dialogue relationship over the last 44 years, with the most recent demonstration being the successful ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Sydney in March 2018 and the adoption of the Sydney Declaration.
He affirmed that ASEAN welcomes Australia’s support for its central role and pledges to cooperate with the country via ASEAN-chaired mechanisms.
At the ceremony, Governor-General of Australia David Hurley affirmed his country’s support for and high valuation on the dialogue relationship with ASEAN.
He noted regional forums that focus on ASEAN but are open to international partners like the East Asia Summit (EAS) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) provide Australia and other partners with mechanisms for effective bilateral and multilateral engagement in the region.
