Jakarta, August 12th.- After two years of online celebration due to the pandemic, the Secretariat of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) based in this capital, held a face-to-face celebration to commemorate the 55th Anniversary of the bloc. .
With the assistance of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi, and the accredited diplomatic community, the Secretary General of ASEAN, Dato Lim Jock Hoy, highlighted in his words of welcome the achievements made by the Association in the midst of the pandemic. He pointed out that in the last 55 years, thanks to collective work, the group has generated economic prosperity, social progress and regional peace, while stressing the importance of the region remaining in solidarity to address challenges and generate more opportunities for all ASEAN citizens.
For her part, in her opening speech, Minister Retno expressed the need for ASEAN to maintain its relevance by consolidating the unity of the region, reinforcing its centrality and strengthening its reliability. Congratulating the bloc on its 55th anniversary, she added: “I think ASEAN is important and always will be. Not just for what it is, but for what it does."
In his intervention, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia, Prak Sokhonn, in his capacity as President of ASEAN, said: “The centrality of ASEAN is the main driving force, as part of our substantive dialogue and cooperation with our external partners, particularly in the context of all ASEAN-led mechanisms.” He also commended ASEAN's achievements in advocating dialogue, economic integration, digitalization and cooperation with external partners.
This year's anniversary is themed "Stronger Together", in line with the theme of Cambodia's pro tempore Presidency of the group, of "Tackling Challenges Together". The celebration reminded the Southeast Asian community to stand together and lend their collective strength as the region recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ceremony featured performances by musicians from various ASEAN member states, the highlight of the cultural program being the animation, on sand, which captured the attention of the audience with a moving story of hope and a bright future for the ASEAN community.
Cuba was represented by its Ambassador to Indonesia and to ASEAN, Tania Velázquez López, who used the occasion to deliver a message of congratulations for the celebration and reaffirm her gratitude to ASEAN for the fact that on November 10, 2020, Cuba joined officially to the bloc's Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, during a virtual meeting of foreign ministers within the framework of its 37th Summit.
With this action, Cuba became the first Caribbean and fifth Latin American country to do so, which is a tribute to the island's historical ties with the member states of ASEAN, as well as the will and confidence of its ten member states in the commitment of friendship and cooperation capacity of the Greater Antilles with the Asian region.
Embassy of Cuba in Indonesia.