On 22 September 2016, H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand attended the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the sidelines of UNGA71, hosted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in New York, and chaired by H.E. Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment.

The Meeting witnessed the transfer of ACD Chairmanship from the Kingdom of Thailand to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the new ACD Chair for the upcoming year (September 2016 – 2017). In his statement, H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai congratulated the UAE on the assumption of ACD Chairmanship and extended Thailand’s appreciation to ACD Member States for supporting the role of Thailand in ACD and Thailand’s hosting of ACD-related activities throughout the year. In particular, the 14th ACD Ministerial Meeting (14th ACD MM) held in Bangkok last March was a key attempt of Thailand to reignite the ACD cooperation which successfully led to the drafting of ACD Vision for Asia Cooperation 2030, the consolidation of ACD 20 areas of cooperation into 6 priority pillars in line with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the establishment of ACD Secretariat in Kuwait.

High on Thailand's agenda was the preparation for the 2nd ACD Summit during 9 – 10 October 2016 in Bangkok which will be held under the theme, “One Asia, Diverse Strengths.” ACD Leaders and high-level officials from 34 countries will gather at this important event to endorse the ACD Vision for Asia Cooperation 2030, the Bangkok Declaration and the ACD Statement on Reigniting Growth through Partnerships for Connectivity. These outcome documents will reflect the shared aspirations of ACD Member States in shaping regional cooperation in the next 14 years while promoting beneficial and constructive actions that will drive the Dialogue towards the building of a stable, inclusive and sustainable Asian community. The Summit will also emphasize how Asian countries could combine their diverse strengths for inclusive development of the Asia region where no one will be left behind.