Cambodia to host postponed ASEM Summit in November (Khmer Times )

Cambodia chairs a meeting celebrating the 25th anniversary of ASEM in March. Facebook

Cambodia, the host of the 13th ASEM Summit (ASEM13), has set a new date for the summit for November this year, after postponement due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The summit will be held from November 25 to 26 this year, according to a Foreign Ministry’s statement issued on Wednesday.

The statement was signed by Luy David, the ministry’s secretary of state and the ASEM Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) Leader for Cambodia.

“Samdech Techo Prime Minister has set a new date of November 25 to 26, 2021 for organising the 13th Asia-Europe Summit (13th ASEM),” read the statement.

Themed “Strengthening Multilateralism for Shared Growth”, the Summit will reinforce the Asia-Europe partnership to ensure that multilateralism can bring about global growth that is not only “sustainable” but can also be “shared”.

Cambodia’s proposed theme reflects the Kingdom’s efforts to promote ASEM as one of the cornerstones of global governance. Its thematic concept focuses on the interaction of four main ideas: Multilateralism, Growth, Sustainable Development and Prosperity.

Originally scheduled for November 16 to 17, 2020, in Phnom Penh, the summit had been first delayed to mid-2021, but it again was delayed.

Due to the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, the recent ASEM Senior Officials’ Meeting (ASEM SOM) held on March 1 to 2 decided to postpone the meeting to October or November 2021.

ASEM is a very important forum for cooperation between Asia and Europe, bringing about fostered mutual interests, said Prime Minister Hun Sen in a previous remark.

“Today, no one can deny the value and importance of ASEM in terms of politics, diplomacy and inter-regional relations. Since its establishment in 1996, ASEM has played a key role as a dialogue and cooperation platform that connects Asia and Europe,” he said.

“The upcoming 13th ASEM Summit is an immense historic and diplomatic event for us,” he said. “The hosting of this summit is a great opportunity for Cambodia to affirm at the highest level our commitment to strengthen the multilateral system, participate in global efforts to tackle global challenges, and improve the global economy.”

Alongside the 13th ASEM, other side-events will take place, including the 13th Asia-Europe People’s Forum (AEPF13); the 11th Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting (ASEP11); the ASEM Cultural Festival at ASEM13; and the 1st Asia-Europe Economic and Business Forum.

Other side-events are the 4th ASEF Young Leader Summit (ASEFYLS4); the 10th ASEF Editors’ Roundtable (ASEFERT10); and the Asia-Europe Forum on Women, Peace and Security.

ASEM is composed of 53 partners, encompassing 21 Asian countries, 30 European countries, the ASEAN Secretariat, and the European Commission.

Collectively, ASEM partners represent 65 percent of the global economy, 60 percent of the world’s population, 55 percent of world trade and 75 percent of world tourism.

ASEM is an intergovernmental process established in 1996 to foster dialogue and cooperation between Asia and Europe. Cambodia became its member in 2004.

Political, economic, financial, social, cultural, and educational issues of common interest in a spirit of mutual respect and equal partnership are the priority agenda for discussion in the ASEM.