The opportunity to increase dialogue with the Group of Seven (G7) aligns with ASEAN’s and Brunei Darussalam’s commitment to working with external partners to share knowledge and experiences to sustain pace with the increasingly complex issues of law in an increasingly interconnected world especially in the area of transnational crimes, said Attorney General Dato Seri Paduka Haji Ahmad bin Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Bakti Di-Raja Dato Laila Utama Haji Awang Isa.
He said this during the ASEAN and G7 Justice Ministers’ Interface on Friday in Tokyo, Japan.
He added, “We will continue to be guided by the theme of this Interface, ‘Strengthening mutual cooperation between ASEAN and G7 in the field of law and justice’, to promote mutual trust, mutual respect for the mutual benefit of ASEAN and the G7.” Dato Seri Paduka Haji Ahmad led his chambers representing Brunei Darussalam.
Organised under Japan’s current presidency of the G7, and capitalising on the coinciding historic occasion of the ASEAN-Japan Special Meeting of Justice Ministers (AJSMJ), the Interface is the first-ever ministerial-level meeting held between ASEAN and G7.
It brought together justice ministers and attorneys general of ASEAN member states and G7 to foster cooperation in the field of law and justice. The Interface was co-chaired by Minister of Justice of Japan Saito Ken, representing the G7, and Minister (Law and Institutional Reforms) in the Prime Minister’s Department of Malaysia Dato’ Sri Azalina Othman Said, who is chairing the 11th ASEAN Law Ministers Meeting (ALAWMM).
Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr Kao Kim Hourn and the European Union Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders were also present during the Interface.
The Interface focused on the theme ‘Strengthening mutual cooperation between ASEAN and G7 in the field of law and justice’, and provided a platform for the justice ministers and attorneys general to meet face-to-face and engage in constructive preliminary discussions of common areas of interest to build working relations and serving as a bridge for future dialogue and cooperation. – Fadley Faisal
