PHNOM PENH (The Cambodia Herald) - Prime Minister Hun Sen said that
Southeast Asia faced "daunting tasks" over the next three years as it
moves toward the formation of an ASEAN Community in 2015.
In an opening address to the 21st ASEAN Summit, he told the assembled leaders that the regional grouping had made "great achievements in cooperation" over the past 45 years.
But "we continue to face difficult problems including the fragile economic recovery in developed countries, the prolonged debt crisis in Europe (and) possible emergence of fiscal cliff in the United States," he said.
Other problems include slower growth in Asia, turmoil in the Middle East, high oil prices, food and energy security, climate change, natural disasters, terrorism and transnational crime, the prime minister said.
Hun Sen added that the development gap "remains significant" among ASEAN members. "This requires us to redouble our efforts to promote faster growth and improve equitable distribution of the fruits of growth among the member coutires. Moreover, we have only slightly more than three years ahead to realize the ASEAN Community by 2015, while daunting tasks remain to be addressed," he said.
In an opening address to the 21st ASEAN Summit, he told the assembled leaders that the regional grouping had made "great achievements in cooperation" over the past 45 years.
But "we continue to face difficult problems including the fragile economic recovery in developed countries, the prolonged debt crisis in Europe (and) possible emergence of fiscal cliff in the United States," he said.
Other problems include slower growth in Asia, turmoil in the Middle East, high oil prices, food and energy security, climate change, natural disasters, terrorism and transnational crime, the prime minister said.
Hun Sen added that the development gap "remains significant" among ASEAN members. "This requires us to redouble our efforts to promote faster growth and improve equitable distribution of the fruits of growth among the member coutires. Moreover, we have only slightly more than three years ahead to realize the ASEAN Community by 2015, while daunting tasks remain to be addressed," he said.
While realizing the ASEAN Community by 2015 is the top priority, Hun Sen also highlighted the need to finalize a legal framework in line with the ASEAN Charter to improve the operation the operation efficenly of ASAEN institutions.
Other priorities are regional peace and security, maintaining ASEAN centrality and boosting cooperation with partners as well as expanding cooperation among ASEAN sectoral ministers.
Expanded cooperation will be a "key factor" in addressing challenges such as financial and economic crises, climate change, natural resources depletion and pandemics.
"For this purpose, ASEAN should foster comprehensive cooperation with development partners as well as increasing its participation in the international community," the prime minister said
Hun Sen also highlighted the need to promote the ASEAN Coordination Center for Humanitarian Aid to allow it to fulfil its role in dealing with regional natural disasters.
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