Australia supports Cambodia’s ASEAN chairmanship 2022

Australia has come in full support of Cambodia’s ASEAN Chairmanship 2022 and looks forward to the first annual ASEAN-Australia Summit in October this year.

This was conveyed by Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women of Australia Senator Marise Payne in a video conference with Minister of Foreign Affairs Prak Sokhonn on Wednesday.

During the meeting, Payne said that Australia looks forward to the first annual ASEAN-Australia Summit in October this year and expressed full support for the success of Cambodia’s chairmanship of ASEAN 2022.

She added that Australia is also keen to strengthen the Asean-Australia partnership and its continued support for Asean centrality in the evolving regional architecture and regional integration.

She also reiterated Australia’s commitment to enhance collaboration with Cambodia and Asean Member States in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

The two foreign ministers also discussed pressing issues such as cooperation to respond to the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and joint efforts to ensure speedy economic recovery and some regional and international issues of common interest and concern, including the developments in Myanmar.

Sokhonn, meanwhile, thanked Payne for the well-wishes and assured that Cambodia, when it takes over the chairmanship of Asean in 2022, will work together with Asean countries as a strong family and focus on addressing the challenges of peace, stability, Asean centrality and community building.

Sharing some of the priorities for next year, he said that Cambodia will work toward endeavouring further progress in the implementing of the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery initiatives and regional integration in line with the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 while working on ASEAN Community Vision beyond 2025, promoting effective participation of women and youth in economic recovery and the community building process and enhancing Asean peacekeeping contribution.

Sokhonn also took the opportunity to thank Australia for its contribution to Cambodia’s socio-economic development through bilateral, regional and sub-regional platforms.