VIENTIANE (ANN/VIENTIANE TIMES) – Laos’ Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Saleumxay, called for stronger collaboration between ASEAN and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to tackle global challenges.
He made these remarks while representing Laos, the ASEAN chair for 2024, at the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting in Paris, France, last week.
Mr Saleumxay led the Lao delegation to this pivotal gathering, which was chaired by Japan. The meeting’s theme, “Leading Global Discussion with a Neutral and Reliable Approach for Sustainable and Comprehensive Growth,” set the tone for discussions on critical issues, with a particular focus on sustainable development and inclusive growth.
In his address at the opening ceremony, Mr Saleumxay, representing the rotating chairmanship of ASEAN countries in 2024, underscored the need for collective action to tackle multifaceted challenges confronting the world today.
“The international community has faced multifaceted challenges, ranging from armed conflicts to environmental degradation, that have imposed a serious threat to revert global development progress and increased economic difficulties,” he said.
He emphasised the need for strengthening cooperation among nations, and urged the OECD and its partners to join hands to address challenges and advance sustainable growth and development regionally and globally.
“In this context, solidarity, genuine cooperation and collaboration among members of the international community, including OECD members, is urgently required in order to find the solution to maintain growth and financial stability,” Mr Saleuamxay said.
Highlighting Laos’s chairmanship of ASEAN in 2024 under the theme of “Increasing connectivity and strength of ASEAN”, Mr Saleumxay emphasised the regional bloc’s pivotal role in fostering regional integration and promoting peace and prosperity.
He outlined Laos’s nine priority programmes aimed at enhancing connectivity and resilience within ASEAN, while fostering cooperation with internal and external partners.
Mr Saleumxay outlined Laos’s aspiration for concrete cooperation with the OECD, particularly in human resources development and secondment opportunities within its Southeast Asia Regional Programme (SEARP). He called on the OECD to consider expanding collaborative programmes for ASEAN countries, including Laos, to further enhance their participation in SEARP initiatives.
The OECD Ministerial Council Meeting serves as a crucial forum for addressing global challenges and fostering cooperation among member countries and partners. Central to
ASEAN-OECD collaboration is the SEARP project, initiated in 2014 to support ASEAN’s integration efforts and to promote sustainable economic policies in the region.
As the ASEAN chair for 2024, Laos is committed to advancing the ASEAN community while fostering cooperation with partners such as the OECD.
During bilateral meetings with counterparts from Vietnam, Japan, Peru, and the United States, Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay discussed opportunities for bilateral cooperation within the ASEAN framework and emphasised Laos’s commitment to advancing regional collaboration.
The annual Ministerial Council Meeting also serves as a platform for OECD member countries to engage in high-level discussions on critical global matters.
Japan’s stewardship of this year’s meeting is particularly significant, marking the 60th anniversary of its OECD membership and commemorating the 10th anniversary of the SEARP.
