On 3 August 2022, H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs participated in the 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Phnom Penh.

The ASEAN Foreign Ministers reaffirmed their support for cooperation under the theme of Cambodia’s ASEAN Chairmanship-- “A.C.T.: Addressing Challenges Together”, advanced ASEAN Community Building and the development of the ASEN Community’s Post-2025 Vision. The ASEAN FMs also discussed the preparations for the Post Ministerial Conferences with 11 ASEAN Dialogue Partners, the 23rd ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the 12th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, and the 29th ASEAN Regional Forum as well as the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits and Related Summits to be held during 10-13 November 2022 in Phnom Penh. The ASEAN Foreign Ministers also exchanged views on international and regional issues.

DPM/FM Don expressed Thailand’s support for Cambodia’s Chairmanship of ASEAN, and, as Coordinator of Sustainable Development, urged for closer cooperation on sustainable development. As Country Coordinator for ASEAN-Japan Dialogue Relations, he also briefed the Meeting on the preparations for the commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of ASEAN-Japan Relations in 2023. On international and regional issues, he called for ASEAN unity and solidarity in addressing challenges and underlined the importance of asserting an ASEAN common position vis-à-vis various international security issues, including the situation in Myanmar.

The ASEAN FMs also agreed to confer the status of Sectoral Dialogue Partnership to Brazil and the United Arab Emirates and endorsed Spain’s application to accede to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), as well as welcomed the accessions of 6 new States, namely the Kingdom of Denmark, the Hellenic Republic, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Sultanate of Oman, the State of Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates to the TAC, bringing the total number of High Contracting Party to 49—all of which will help forge closer cooperation between ASEAN and external partners in areas of mutual interest while helping to maintain peace, security, and stability in the region.