H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand, will attend the 51st ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and Related Meetings on 1 – 4 August 2018 in Singapore comprising of 19 meetings in total, 15 of which are ASEAN and ASEAN-Related Meetings and 4 of which are sub-regional Meetings. Thirty-two Foreign Ministers or their representatives are expected to be present.

 

ASEAN Foreign Ministers will discuss ways to promote ASEAN Community building that is resilient, innovative and people-centred as well as ASEAN centrality in the regional architecture. The Thai side will also promote important issues such as sustainable development, for which Thailand has been entrusted to act as Country Coordinator, as well as active ageing, enhancing regional connectivity and building grassroots support for ASEAN.

 

In addition, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers will discuss and exchange views with Foreign Ministers of ASEAN’s Dialogue Partners as well as the Foreign Ministers attending the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) on important regional and international issues of common interest.

 

One of the important Outcome Documents to be adopted is the Joint Communique of the 51st ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. The Joint Communique will focus on ASEAN’s unwavering commitment to promote the ASEAN Community, integrated economic cooperation and connectivity, cooperation with Dialogue Partners in the regional architecture with ASEAN centrality at its core, expansion of cooperation in areas of common interests to better respond to emerging challenges as well as issues relating to peace, stability and security.

 

Thailand will use this opportunity to update the meeting on Thailand’s role as the ASEAN Coordinator for Sustainable Development and the promotion of complementarities between the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to promote stronger partnerships with the international community to ensure regional stability and prosperity. In addition, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand will be co-chairing the ASEAN – EU Ministerial Meeting with H.E. Ms. Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the Commission, before handing over the coordinatorship of the ASEAN – EU Dialogue Relations to Singapore. Thailand will also be given the coordinatorship of ASEAN – India Dialogue Relations for the next three years.