Cambodia to host Asia-Europe business forum in November

Cambodia had planned to host the 13th Asia-Europe Meeting in mid-November last year but because of the Covid-19 pandemic this summit was postponed to Nov 25 and 26 via video conference instead. Supplied

The Ministry of Commerce will host its first Asia-Europe Business and Economic Forum in November via virtual video conference, said Minister Pan Sorasak.

In order to host the international forum successfully and smoothly, Sorasak chaired a preparation meeting by zoom on Monday with 44 technical experts.

Sorasak stated that Cambodia had planned to host the 13th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in mid-November last year but because of the Covid-19 pandemic this summit was postponed to this Nov 25 and 26 via video conference instead. The first Asia-Europe Business and Economic Forum, which is one of the seven side events of the summit, was delayed to Nov 24.

“This forum is an opportunity for business leaders from Asia and Europe to interact with each other to share and discuss issues related to trade and investment, as well as the political environment in both continents to promote the economic growth, trade, investment and development of all countries in this group,” he said.

To host this successfully, Sorasak encouraged the forum secretariat team to prepare the forum website and get ready relevant documents and other logistics as well as the concept note and the forum programme.

With regard to other possibly virtual side events of the 13th ASEM, Meas Sophorn, under-secretary of state of information and vice-president of Asia-Europe ASEM side events organising commission, confirmed the progress of the preparation for the 10th Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) Editors’ Roundtable.

Some 26 top media leaders from Asia and Europe will be invited to attend the Editors’ Roundtable to be held on Nov 23 and 24 from or in Phnom Penh. The other side event, Asia-Europe Forum on Women, Peace and Security, will be held from Oct 13 to 14. The Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting will be held on Nov 16. The Asia-Europe Cultural Festival will be held between Nov 22 and 26. The date for the Asia-Europe Foundation Young Leaders’ summit has not yet been confirmed.

ASEM is an intergovernmental process established in 1996 to foster dialogue and cooperation between Asia and Europe. It addresses political, economic, financial, social, cultural and educational issues of common interest in a spirit of mutual respect and equal partnership. Its foremost event, the ASEM Summit, is a biennial meeting between the heads of state and government, the president of the European Council, the president of the European Commission, and the secretary-general of ASEAN. In addition, ASEM ministers and senior officials also meet in their respective sectoral dialogues.

The initial ASEM Partnership in 1996 consisted of 15 EU member states, seven ASEAN Member States, China, Japan, Korea and the European Commission. Today, ASEM comprises 53 Partners: 30 European and 21 Asian countries, the European Union and the ASEAN Secretariat.

Through its informal process based on equal partnership and enhancing mutual understanding, ASEM aims to facilitate and stimulate progress but does not seek to duplicate bilateral and other multilateral relationships between Asia and Europe. Khmer Times