ASEAN and its associated entities discussed the progress they have made and how they could strengthen collaboration in achieving a more integrated and people-focused ASEAN at the 3rd Forum of Entities Associated with ASEAN held in Jakarta, on Monday April 29th 2019. To Voice of Indonesia, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs, Dr. AKP Mochtan said that this forum is to engage with all the entities and to eemhance the dialogue between the member countries.
"I'm very happy that we are having this third forum of the entities associated with ASEAN. This forum is actually to engage with all entities and to enhance dialogue between them. We are previllege to have Thailand as the chair of ASEAN participating very strong delegation from Bangkok Including actually the DG (development goals) of the ASEAN affairs who will present the ASEAN chairmanship under Thailand. So this is going to be exciting event and we are very happy to have very good attendance to this meeting. This is not only Indonesia and Thailand but this is the entire member states and later on we will have all the ambassadors the committee of permanent representatives also present and to have interface with the entities" Deputy said.
Dr. AKP Mochtan added that given the diversity among ASEAN entities as well as the expansive scopes covered by the entities, there is a big role of ASEAN entities can be played to ensure agility and inclusiveness in the process of regional integration. In her opening remarks, Permanent Representative of Thailand to ASEAN Phasporn Sangasubana stated that the forum is a useful initiative by ASEAN Secretariat, as it provides a platform for the entities to interact with the Secretariat as the essence of ASEAN. Phasporn believed that this platform will help to strengthen ASEAN community building// NK