Commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian nations
The Argentine Republic and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) commemorated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the regional organization, at a ceremony held today in the Manuel Belgrano Auditorium of the Argentine Foreign Ministry. The event was headed by the Deputy Foreign Minister, Daniel Raimondi, alongside the Ambassador of Thailand to Argentina, Narisroj Fuangrabil, acting as representative to the group of ASEAN Embassies accredited to Buenos Aires.
At the event, Argentina's accession to ASEAN's Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) was announced, which was approved yesterday, 7 August, by the Foreign Ministers of the Asian bloc at a meeting in the Philippines. This instrument, which promotes amicable relations and cooperation between its signatories, will allow Argentina to further dialogue and exchanges with that major association, as well as to blaze new trails for cooperation. Deputy Foreign Minister Raimondi recalled that last year, in the same context, Argentina conveyed its intention to embark on this process which has now become a reality. The accession process will be completed at a signing ceremony next November in the Philippines, which currently holds the Presidency Pro Tempore of ASEAN.
ASEAN, established on 8 August 1967, is a regional bloc comprising Brunei, Cambodia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. It currently accounts for 9% of the world's population -over 650 million people- and for 7% of global exports and 6% of global imports. Among its members are some of our country's most important political and trade partners, with whom there is great potential for increasing and diversifying different kinds of exchanges.
Also present at the ceremony were national authorities, members of the foreign diplomatic corps, private sector representatives and academics who maintain close relations with that region.
