In a statement released on 26 Jul 2024, His Excellency Deputy Prime Minister SOK Chenda Sophea emphasized the key takeaways from the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference (PMC) 10+1 Sessions with Dialogue Partners of ASEAN. The meeting brought together senior officials from Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, and the United Kingdom.
During the discussions, Deputy Prime Minister SOK Chenda Sophea highlighted the importance of promoting economic ties and fostering trade and investments between ASEAN and its Dialogue Partners. He encouraged the full utilization of existing Free Trade Agreements (FTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to deepen regional integration and bring benefits for all parties involved.
To ensure rapid growth, the Deputy Prime Minister urged ASEAN and Dialogue Partners to tap into emerging industries such as digital economy, green transition, resilient supply chains, and sustainable tourism. Key priorities included the Digital Economy Framework Agreement, a region-wide digital economy agreement expected to be adopted next year, and the development of a resilient, sustainable, and smart ASEAN Power Grid.
Deputy Prime Minister SOK Chenda Sophea also expressed appreciation for Dialogue Partners’ unwavering support to ASEAN’s efforts in enhancing regional connectivity. He invited partners to continue contributing to this endeavor through their support for the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) 2025 and its successor document.
The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that a resilient and interconnected region is crucial for ASEAN’s growth and prosperity, ensuring it remains a key driver in regional and global development. He also highlighted the need to build an ecosystem to realize these visions by investing in human capital development and supporting micro, small, and medium enterprises.
During the meeting, the following outcome documents were adopted:
- ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers’ Joint Statement on Strengthening Humanitarian Mine Action Cooperation
- Joint Statement of ASEAN and Russian Foreign Ministers Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of Russia’s Accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC)
- ASEAN-UK Joint Ministerial Statement: “Enhancing Connectivity for a Prosperous, Sustainable and Secure Future”
- Plan of Action to Implement the ASEAN-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2025-2029)
As Cambodia concludes her role as Country Coordinator for ASEAN-Russia Dialogue Relations, Deputy Prime Minister SOK Chenda Sophea thanked his colleagues for their full support and reaffirmed Cambodia’s commitment to work closely with Myanmar to ensure a smooth transition.
The successful PMC 10+1 Sessions demonstrate Cambodia’s continued dedication to strengthening its relationships with Dialogue Partners and contributing to the growth and prosperity of the region.