On 16 -17 September 2021, Mrs. Chulamanee Chartsuwan, the Director-General of the Department of European Affairs, as Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) SOM Leader for Thailand and the ASEAN Coordinator for ASEM, chaired the ASEAN and Asian Coordination Meetings and attended the ASEM Senior Officials’ Meeting via videoconference. The objective of these meetings is to prepare for the 13th ASEM Summit (ASEM 13), which will take place on 25-26 November 2021 via videoconference. The summit will be hosted by Cambodia, and attended by leaders from both Asia and Europe.

ASEM SOM Leaders discussed the Leaders’ programme during ASEM 13 and exchanged views on the ASEM13 Chair’s Statement, which focuses on Asia-Europe cooperation to strengthen multilateralism for shared growth through the 3 pillars of ASEM cooperation: political; economic; and social & cultural. The Meeting also agreed, in principle, on the draft “The Way Forward on ASEM Connectivity”, which is the initiative of the ASEAN Group. The consensus on the draft was reached under Thailand’s coordinatorship and the document will provide a framework to strengthen connectivity between Asia and Europe.

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