Former Secretary General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Le Luong Minh has called for more efforts of and closer cooperation among the group’s member nations to promote intra-bloc development. 

 

In his speech a ceremony of office transfer in Jakarta, Indonesia on January 5, Minh highlighted the significance of the formation of the ASEAN Community, which he described as an important milestone proving the group’s dynamic development as well as its member states’ political spirit and solid commitments. 

 

For his part, new ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi showed his honour and pride to take on this position. 

 

He emphasised the need to maintain and enhance the central role played by ASEAN in the context of complicated regional and global developments. 

 

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi remarked that apart from fostering its development to bring benefits to people in the region, ASEAN needs to do more for the world. 

 

While mentioning common challenges ASEAN will face in the future, she called on member nations to continue active contributions to the group’s development. 

 

On the occasion, the ASEAN Secretariat organised the ground-breaking ceremony for its new building which is situated next to the existing one. 

The 16-floor building is expected to be completed after one year of construction.-VNA/VNP