Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn said Cambodia is ready to work closely with all Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) partners and relevant stakeholders to foster increased ASEM cooperation.

Sokhonn made the remarks while celebrating the 26th anniversary of ASEM, which fell on March 1.

“ASEM must persevere for the next several decades and beyond to ensure that prosperity and sustainable development are secured for all ASEM Partners and, perhaps, the rest of the world," he said in a statement seen by The Post on March 11.

“Its commitment toward building a cohesive, competitive, resilient, and sustainable community for the peoples of Asia and Europe remains a top priority.”

Sokhonn said all ASEM partners are bound together by the common goal of ensuring that multilateralism will generate stability and prosperity for shared growth. They will also address existing and emerging regional and global issues – with the aim of attaining the UN Sustainable Development Goals set for 2030.

“Cambodia is ready and looks forward to continuing to work closely with all ASEM Partners and relevant stakeholders to implement the measures set out in our recent ASEM13 outcome documents to further foster ASEM cooperation, address issues of common concern, and elevate friendly relations among all partners to new heights,” he said.

Cambodia successfully hosted the 13th ASEM Summit (ASEM13) under the theme “Strengthening Multilateralism for Shared Growth”. The summit was attended by leaders of the two continents and adopted three documents – the ASEM13 Chair’s Statement, the Phnom Penh Statement on the Post-Covid-19 Socio-Economic Recovery, and the Way Forward on ASEM Connectivity.

“These documents marked a historic milestone in ASEM cooperation and solidified our shared resolve to maintain and promote peace, stability and prosperity in Asia and Europe as well as to build an inclusive, sustainable, and resilient future for current and future generations,” he said.

According to Sokhonn, ASEM is now the largest cooperation framework outside the UN, representing 60 per cent of the global population, 55 per cent of global trade, 65 per cent of the global economy, and 75 per cent of global tourism.

“With such a significant contribution, ASEM carries a meaningful heft in global affairs, with multilateralism at its core,” he said.