Thai PM Prayuth to attend ASEAN-EU commemorative summit in Brussels

BANGKOK: Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan o-cha will attend the ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit in Brussels, Belgium to celebrate the 45th anniversary of ASEAN-EU Dialogue Relations starting Dec 12-15.

Acting government spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri said the ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit was historic as it would be the inaugural meeting between nine ASEAN leaders or representatives and leaders or representatives of the 27 EU member countries under the ASEAN framework.

"This would, thus, be an important opportunity for leaders from ASEAN and the European Union to exchange views on the regional and international issues of current concern, especially geopolitics, security challenges, economic recovery, and digital and green transition," he said in a statement here.

Prayuth is expected to attend the C-Suite Roundtable Luncheon, organised by the EU-ASEAN Business Council (EU-ABC) in which the European private sector will provide suggestion and exchange views with the leaders on issues related to trade and investment.

Members of EU-ABC and private sector's high-level executives will also attend the C-Suite Roundtable Luncheon, he said.

Anucha said at the C-Suite Roundtable Luncheon, Thailand would emphasise cooperation for inclusive, balanced, and sustainable socio-economic development driven by the bio-circular-green (BCG) economy model, which is in line with the Global Gateway, EU's initiative that aims to mobilise up to EUR300 billion of investments in digital, climate and energy, transport, health, education and research.

At the ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit, Prayuth would endorse EU's constructive role in the region to build trust and peaceful atmosphere conducive to economic recovery while upholding ASEAN's centrality in the regional architecture.

"Thailand will also push forward the ASEAN-EU strategic partnership as positive and constructive energy for the two regions and the global community, and the ASEAN-EU Green Partnership," said Anucha.

In his attendance at the ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit to celebrate the 45th anniversary of ASEAN-EU relations, Prayuth is scheduled to witness the signing of the Thai-EU Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.

-- BERNAMA