Lao ambassador to Germany spotlights ASEAN’s solidarity, cohesion
ASEAN’s prominent achievements in recent times have helped promote intra-bloc solidarity, and comprehensive cohesion and cooperation in all fields, contributing to maintaining stability, peace and development in the region, said Lao Ambassador to Germany Phomma Butthavong.
Lao Ambassador to Germany Phomma Butthavong speaks at the ASEAN flag hoisting ceremony (Photo: VNA)
Berlin (VNA) – ASEAN’s prominent achievementsin recent times have helped promote intra-bloc solidarity, and comprehensive cohesionand cooperation in all fields, contributing to maintaining stability, peace anddevelopment in the region, said Lao Ambassador to Germany Phomma Butthavong.
Speaking at an ASEAN flaghoisting ceremony at the Lao Embassy in Berlin on theoccasion of the 53rd founding anniversary of the grouping, Butthavong,who is also Chairman of the Berlin ASEAN Committee (BAC), stressed that amid the outbreakof COVID-19 pandemic, the bloc has promoted solidarity and made certainsuccesses in the early stage of the health crisis.
Addressing the ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany Nguyen Minh Vu emphasisedthat 2020 is a special year for Vietnam, marking 25 years of its ASEAN membership,and the second time Vietnam has undertaken the role of ASEAN's rotating chair.
He also mentioned difficulties facing the ASEAN member nations, and countriesworldwide when the COVID-19 pandemic is spreading with unprecedented impactsacross the world.
The way that the group copes with the pandemic is also a testament to a cohesive,responsive and resilient ASEAN, he affirmed./.
Over the past 53 years, ASEAN's foreign relations have been expanded towards deeper and more practical orientations, helping to ensure peace, security, stability, cooperation and development for member countries as well as the whole region, and enhancing the grouping’s position in the world, said Phan The Thang, Deputy Head of Information and Data Unit under the ASEAN-Korea Centre.
The Embassy of Vietnam in Switzerland has hosted a ceremony to mark the 53rd founding anniversary of ASEAN and presided over the first meeting of the ASEAN Committee in Bern (ACB) in its capacity as the chair of the committee.
Under Vietnam’s chairmanship, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has effectively implemented cooperation and connectivity targets, while overcoming difficulties to earn initial successes in preventing and controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, and embarking on efforts for post-pandemic recovery, said Ambassador Tran Duc Binh, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to ASEAN.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has delivered a message on the occasion of the 53rd founding anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the 25th anniversary of Vietnam’s admission to the bloc. Following is a translation of the message.
The ASEAN Foreign Ministers have issued a statement on the importance of maintaining peace and stability in Southeast Asia. Following is the full text of the statement:
The embassies of Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia in Ukraine co-organised a flag-hoisting ceremony on August 8 to mark the 53rd anniversary of the founding of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (August 8, 1967-2020).
Startup ASEAN platform brings all stakeholders together under one digital roof, expected to promote open innovation, improve access to capital, and strengthen ASEAN’s position as a dynamic and connected innovation powerhouse.
Indonesia as an appealing destination for investment in energy transition. It is Southeast Asia’s largest energy consumer and the region’s fourth most populous country. However, the majority of the country's existing power plants still rely on fossil fuels.
The Vietnam Trade Office in Singapore urged all Vietnamese firms trading with Singapore to seriously comply with its legal regulations, particularly customs requirements.
The Grandma Island soccer team was about to go to compete for Setokok Island, Batam city. In the middle of the trip, the boat was hit by waves and overturned.
Mexico's Nuevo León leaders underscored the state’s keen interest in partnering with ASEAN – a region known for dynamic economic growth, a young population, an expanding middle class, and a growing role in global supply chains.
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Phuket airport authorities said the incident did not affect flights or airport operations, and security personnel are also stepping up surveillance in public areas, with CCTV covering all the airport area.
The facility will integrate multiple components, including mining operations, a smelter, high-pressure acid leach (HPAL) processing, and production of precursors and cathodes.
A participant in the Malaysia Economic Forum 2025 said despite challenges, there are significant opportunities in AI, digital transformation, and green technologies, requiring the country to balance both risk and potential thoughtfully.
Themed “emerging trends in terrorism and violent extremism”, the event drew over 200 participants from domestic and international agencies, discussing the rapid evolution of terrorism and the need for stronger regional and global cooperation.
Indonesia aims to start nuclear power generation by 2034, with a government roadmap already in place to develop small modular reactors (SMRs) with capacities ranging from 300 to 500 megawatts.
The package, endorsed on June 24, comprises 481 projects designed to boost GDP by an additional 0.4% and generate temporary employment for about 7.4 million people nationwide.
An Indonesian official emphasised that energy security is extremely essential amid global geopolitical and economic fragmentation, highlighting the need for the energy industry to strengthen resilience and responsiveness in the face of fluctuating oil prices and the shift to clean energy.
ASEAN must deepen collaboration through platforms such as the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) to ensure regional responses keep pace with the rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape.
Speaking at the launch of the Indonesia Economic Prospects June 2025 edition on June 23 in Jakarta, Turk noted that Indonesia’s gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 4.9% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year.
Lao Ambassador to Germany Phomma Butthavong speaks at the ASEAN flag hoisting ceremony (Photo: VNA) 
