Prime Minister Hun Sen arrived in Singapore on Tuesday for the biannual Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit and related meetings with Asia and Pacific leaders.
At the invitation of Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Hun Sen left Phnom Penh International Airport on Tuesday morning to attend the start of the three-day summit.
The 33rd Asean summit and related meetings held under the theme Resilient and Innovative Asean takes place from November 13-15.
According to a Cambodia Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement issued last week, Hun Sen is expected to have meetings with Asean partners, Australia, China, South Korea, Russia, Japan, India and the US, and attend the 2nd Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) leaders’ meeting.
Accompanying Hun Sen are Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn – who is also Minister of Foreign Affairs – Minister of Commerce Pan Sorasak, Minister of Education Hang Chuon Naron, as well as other senior government officials and business leaders from the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce.
Before leaving the Kingdom, Hun Sen posted his photo on Facebook on Tuesday, saying that during the visit he would hold bilateral meetings with other heads of delegations.
“Even as I leave for a mission abroad, I still miss brothers and sisters, nephews and nieces everywhere. I wish all our countrymen good health and happiness in your families,” Hun Sen wrote.
At the meeting, Asean leaders are expected to adopt a number of “key documents” which aim to promote inclusiveness and improve the lives of the bloc’s people, according to an Asean press release on Tuesday.
These include the Declaration on the Guidelines on Consular Assistance by Asean Member States’ Missions in Third Countries to Nationals of Other Asean Member States and the Asean Enabling Masterplan 2025: Mainstreaming the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
“As the region prepares to embrace the fourth industrial revolution and strive for long-term competitiveness, Asean shall continue to put its peoples and their wellbeing at its core to ensure sustainability and inclusivity,” Asean secretary-general Lim Jock Hoi said in the press release.
During related meetings, Asean leaders will review the progress of the bloc’s relations with its dialogue partners and the deepening cooperation between them on a number of priority areas.
The leaders will also discuss the “progress” of the RCEP negotiations at the 2nd RCEP summit, it said.
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is expected to hand over the Asean Chairmanship to Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha at the closing ceremony on Thursday.
