His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, attended the opening ceremony and the Plenary Session of the 43rd ASEAN Summit, which were held at the Jakarta Convention Centre, Indonesia yesterday.
Accompanying His Majesty was His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen.
On arrival, His Majesty was welcomed by Indonesian President Joko Widodo and spouse Ibu Hajah Iriana Widodo.
His Majesty first attended the opening ceremony of the 43rd ASEAN Summit, which was also attended by other ASEAN heads of state and government as well as Timor-Leste, Bangladesh and Cook Islands.
The ceremony commenced with the ASEAN anthem The ASEAN Way followed by opening remarks from the Indonesian President as Chairman of ASEAN this year, in which he welcomed leaders and delegates attending the 43rd ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Jakarta.
A presentation ceremony for the ASEAN Prize was also held where Haji Muhammad Iqbal Fakhri bin Haji Damit of Brunei Darussalam received the ASEAN Prize 2022 for his active leadership in youth movement and volunteerism, especially in mobilising assistance for displaced persons.
Meanwhile, Nguyen Thi Tuyet Minh of Vietnam, ASEAN Prize 2023 recipient, was also presented with the ASEAN Prize.
During the ceremony, the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control was launched, followed with a video presentation on the centre.
His Majesty’s attendance to the ASEAN Summits in Jakarta this year, among other things, demonstrates the monarch’s close friendship with the other leaders. It also provides an opportunity to continue discussions on advancing ASEAN community building efforts, as well as strengthen cooperation with ASEAN’s Dialogue Partners.
His Majesty along with other ASEAN leaders and Timor-Leste then attended the Plenary Session of the 43rd ASEAN Summit.
President Widodo in a speech underscored the importance of maintaining ASEAN’s unity and centrality, in ensuring the region remains peaceful and stable.
The Plenary Session included presentations on global economic developments by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. The leaders underlined the need for ASEAN to be adaptive, responsive and forward-looking, and able to anticipate opportunities and address emerging challenges and future shocks towards making ASEAN an epicentrum of growth.
At the end of the Summit, the ASEAN Concord IV; ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on ASEAN Human Rights Dialogue; ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on ASEAN as an Epicentrum of Growth; ASEAN Declaration on Strengthening Disability Inclusive Development for a Resilient and Prosperous ASEAN Community; ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Strengthening Food Security and Nutrition in Response to Crisis; ASEAN Leaders’ Statement on the Development of the Digital Economy Framework Agreement; ASEAN Declaration on Early Childhood Care and Education in Southeast Asia; ASEAN Declaration on Gender Equality and Family Development; ASEAN Declaration on Sustainable Resilience; ASEAN Joint Statement on Climate Change to the 28th session of Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP-28) and the ASEAN Blue Economy Framework were adopted.
His Majesty then attended the opening of ASEAN-Indo-Pacific Forum; Retreat Session of the 43rd ASEAN Summit and a bilateral meeting with Timor-Leste Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão.
Accompanying His Majesty was His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen.
His Majesty first attended the opening of ASEAN-Indo-Pacific Forum at Mulia Hotel in Jakarta.
The ASEAN-Indo-Pacific Forum was officiated by President Widodo and served as a platform to discuss on the development of green infrastructure and resilient supply chain; sustainable and innovative financing; inclusive digital transformation; and creative economy.
After the opening ceremony, His Majesty proceeded with other leaders to visit the showcase of innovation projects conducted in the Indo-Pacific.
His Majesty then attended the Retreat Session of the 43rd ASEAN Summit, at the Jakarta Convention Centre.
At the session, discussion among leaders were focused on the implementation of the Five Point Consensus as well as the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific.
His Majesty then attended a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, in which both leaders discussed on further strengthening cooperation between both countries in the fields of education and health. In addition, His Majesty extended an invitation to the Timor-Leste Prime Minister to visit Brunei Darussalam.
Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão also extended an invitation to His Majesty to visit Timor-Leste in 2024.
Diplomatic relations between Brunei and Timor-Leste were established on May 20, 2002 in which both countries mainly cooperate in the areas of education and training, as well as air services.
