Ekaterina Zaharieva Welcomes Elevation of Relations Between EU, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to Strategic Partnership
01 December 2020 News
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ekaterina Zaharieva welcomed the elevation of relations between the EU and ASEAN to the level of strategic partnership at the 23rd meeting of the two organisations’ foreign ministers.
„The long awaited elevation of relations between the EU and ASEAN to strategic partnership is good news, indeed,“ Zaharieva said during the discussions that took place via video conference. „We trust that this reflects the true state of our relations and would open a wider horizon for our dialogue,“ she added.
The meeting also focused on the growing importance of multilateralism, regional cooperation, digitalization, trade relations as well as the global challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the safety of the vaccines. „It is inspiring that even in these times of a pandemic the EU and ASEAN are continuing to maintain close contacts and are planning joint undertakings and are broadening the areas of their cooperation,“ Ekaterina Zaharieva said. The Bulgarian Foreign Minister pointed out as examples of continuing efforts the video conference on cooperation in combating the coronavirus by the EU and ASEAN held in March, the EU’s financial support of 800 million euros to the region within the framework of Team Europe as well as the joint efforts for achieving progress in the free trade talks between the regions and the EU-ASEAN Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement (CATA).
„The adoption of the joint ministerial statement on connectivity after today’s meeting is creating new prospects for future broadening of our cooperation,“ the Foreign Minister said in her address.
The 23rd meeting of the EU-ASEAN foreign ministers was hosted by Singapore in its capacity as ASEAN’s coordinator for relations with the EU in 2018-2021. The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borell and Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan served as Co-Chairpersons.
ASEAN is a geopolitical and economic organisation of the states of Southeast Asia established on August 8, 1967 in Bangkok. It has 10 counties as members: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia. This organisation is the world’s fifth biggest economy a this time. The official relations between the EU and ASEAN were established in 1977.