State Counsellor urges ASEAN to double its capacity to overcome new, diverse challenges
State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi visits the booth displaying award winning literary works of school children at the Commemorative Ceremony of the 50th Anniversary of ASEAN at the Myanmar International Convention Centre-II in Nay Pyi Taw. Photo: MNA
State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, in her speech delivered at the Commemorative Ceremony of the 50th Anniversary of ASEAN at the Myanmar International Convention Centre -II, in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday, praised ASEAN’s progress and encouraged member states to accelerate regional efforts to reduce poverty, rising inequality, terrorism and environmental threats.
The ceremony opened with the playing of the ASEAN anthem, after which the State Counsellor called on the regional body to work more closely together to speed economic development, cultural exchange and shared security.
“The progress achieved during our first 50 years should not make ASEAN complacent. It should inspire and enable the peoples of ASEAN to step up the momentum to realize a participative, resilient, and socially-responsible community for the betterment of all ASEAN peoples,” she said.
Following the State Counsellor’s remarks, Union Ministers Dr. Pe Myint, U Kyaw Win, Thura U Aung Ko and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs U Kyaw Tin awarded prizes to winners of Myanmar and English composition competitions, painting competitions and a traditional dance competition.
Winners of ASEAN’s traditional dance competition and artists from the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture performed dances for the gathering.
Finally, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and ceremony attendees took a commemorative group photo and viewed the ASEAN 50th Anniversary photo exhibition. The ceremony was attended by Union Minsters U Kyaw Tint Swe, Dr. Pe Myint, Thura U Aung Ko, Dr. Myint Htwe and U Kyaw Win, National Security Advisor U Thaung Tun, Nay Pyi Taw Council Chairman Dr. Myo Aung, Minister of State U Kyaw Tin, Deputy Ministers U Maung Maung Win and U Set Aung and diplomats from ASEAN member countries.
Dancers perform at the Commemorative Ceremony of the 50th Anniversary of ASEAN at the MICC 2, in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday. Photo: MNA
The following is an excerpt from the speech given by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi:
The last fifty years have seen the realization of the aspirations of ASEAN’s founding fathers, who envisioned a peaceful, stable and economically prosperous Southeast Asia. The members of ASEAN can be proud of its achievements: it has been able to foster deeper understanding, and to build trust and partnerships for the pursuit of common interests in the context of diversity, in full recognition of its varied but shared interests and goals. Yet even after half a century, it remains a work in progress, an ever vigorous foray into the future that holds many opportunities as well as daunting challenges.
ASEAN has a charter that sets a clear agenda for the establishment of a rule-based people’s community supported by three pillars, the political-security community, the economic community and the socio-cultural community, thus recognizing the multi-dimensional nature of the needs of its peoples.
Throughout the years, ASEAN has steadily fostered “ASEAN Values” and followed the “ASEAN Way” that has led the association to thrive and prosper. The principles of dialogue, consensus, cooperation and non-interference have enabled the association to overcome many challenges and to remain relevant throughout its half-century of existence.
These principles have served as a foundation for building mutual trust, friendship and cooperation, not only within the region but also beyond. They have empowered ASEAN to be at the center of many ASEAN-led mechanisms such as the ASEAN Plus One with Dialogue Partners, the ASEAN Plus Three, the ASEAN Regional Forum, the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus. They have strengthened ASEAN’s relationship with a steadily growing number of dialogue partners and sectoral dialogue partners, and promoted the establishment of strategic partnerships.
With the ASEAN Vision 2025, we are entering an era of regional integration through the consolidation of past achievements and the effective management of present and future challenges. Our goal is a rule-based, people-oriented, people-centered, peaceful, stable and resilient ASEAN Community.
The ten member economies together amount today to the world’s seventh biggest economy and represent the third fastest growing major economy in Asia, after China and India. Currently, ASEAN has a combined GDP of $2.4 trillion. The successful implementation of ASEAN’s AEC Blueprint 2025 will turn the ASEAN region into the fourth largest economic bloc in the world by 2050. This will include the finalization of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), an initiative that aims at the economic integration of countries with different levels of economic development. Once launched, this partnership will account for half the world’s population and thirty percent of global GDP.
ASEAN has also charted its future course for the promotion of social and cultural advancement. The ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Blueprint 2025 envisages the advancement of human development, social justice and rights, social protection and welfare, environmental sustainability, ASEAN awareness, and the narrowing of development gaps. As a result of ASEAN’s endeavours, a baby who was born in this region in 2016 will live an average 15 years longer than one that was born in 1967; access to safe drinking water is now 90 per cent whereas it was 68.1 per cent in 1999; and adult literacy reached 94.9 per cent in 2016.
Myanmar, as a member of ASEAN, has a responsibility to work towards the building of a successful ASEAN Community. We share the common aspirations of all our members striving for peace, stability, security, and prosperity in each of our member states.
ASEAN Member States have travelled a long, and sometimes rugged road, together, sharing experiences and helping each other as a family. Even in times of crisis, ASEAN has been able maintain its unity. ASEAN has stood the test of time and endured, in spite of it being one of the most diverse cultural and political regions in the world. We are confident that ASEAN will continue to uphold its centrality and act collectively and pro-actively in times of political uncertainty in the future.
ASEAN provides a model for peaceful borders, and wider regional harmony. ASEAN’s recipe for success is consultation and more consultation until consensus is reached and cooperation made possible. The ASEAN Way has served us well as we navigated the waters of our constantly changing world during the last fifty years. The tools that have served us well in the past must be honed and updated for effective use in the present and the future. By developing an ASEAN vision and an ASEAN identity, we can ensure the enduring strength of our ASEAN community.—Myanmar News Agency