The ASEAN Plus Three (APT) has been successful in facilitating coordination in various fields, and helped address financial and health crises impacting the region. Thus, it is important to work together to ensure food security, especially by ensuring the continued preparedness of the APT Emergency Rice Reserve, which is vital in safeguarding food security during emergencies.
In a titah delivered during the 26th ASEAN Plus Three Summit, 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 recognised that relevant mechanisms such as the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralisation (CMIM), ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Office (AMRO) and the Asian Bond Markets Initiative were developed to respond to previous economic and financial crises.
In this regard, His Majesty expressed satisfaction with the ongoing discussions to explore the use of local currencies for settling regional transactions, which will further enhance overall regional resilience and strengthen trade and investment.
Accompanying His Majesty was His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen.
President of Korea Yoon Suk-yeol, as country coordinator for ASEAN Plus Three Dialogue Relations, in a statement stressed the importance of collective action in overcoming today’s challenges geopolitical tensions and climate crisis towards ensuring ASEAN becomes and epicentrum of growth.
This was followed with a statement by Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida where he expressed Japan’s commitment to strengthen multilateralisation, food security as well as support the mainstreaming of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).
Meanwhile, Premier of the State Council of China Li Qiang highlighted that it is vital for ASEAN and the APT countries to strengthen communication to ensure a secure foundation for the APT and build an ASEAN community with a common future.
At yesterday’s summit, the leaders discussed on the future direction of the APT to support the theme of ‘ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth’. At the end of the summit, the ASEAN Plus Three Leaders’ Statement on Developing Electric Vehicle Ecosystem was adopted.
The 26th ASEAN Plus Three Summit was held at the Jakarta Convention Centre, Indonesia.
