The Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to Kuwait, H.E. Nguyen Duc Thang, expressed his happiness at the conclusion of his country’s chairmanship of the ASEAN Committee in Kuwait (ACK), stressing his deep appreciation for the close cooperation and mutual support among ASEAN ambassadors over the past six months, during which his country launched five qualitative initiatives for cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Kuwait.
This came during the committee’s chairmanship handover ceremony, held yesterday, in the presence of a number of heads of Asian diplomatic missions and representatives of international organizations.
In his speech, the ambassador said, “The committee’s chairmanship in Kuwait lasts only six months, allowing all ambassadors the opportunity to assume this leadership role during their tenure in the country.” He added, “Viet Nam held the chairmanship from March to September, and made its top priority strengthening the ASEAN community’s identity and consolidating joint cooperation with the State of Kuwait.”
He pointed out that his country launched five qualitative initiatives during its presidency, in the fields of sports, tourism, business networks, and community health, adding, “We even consider karaoke singing a means of promoting health and happiness.” He explained that “90 percent of these initiatives have been completed, while the blood donation campaign, in cooperation with Al-Jahra Hospital, has been postponed until next December due to the requirement that donors reside in Kuwait for six consecutive months.”
He expressed his gratitude to all ASEAN ambassadors, the committee’s dialogue partners, and friendly countries, commending the support that has contributed to strengthening ASEAN’s position in the region and on the international stage. He also emphasized the importance of developing relations between ASEAN and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, especially after the summit held in Kuala Lumpur last May, which established a roadmap for enhancing economic, cultural, and political cooperation between the two sides over the next five years.
At the end of his speech, the ambassador announced the handover of the committee’s chairmanship to Indonesian Ambassador H.E. Lina Mariana, expressing his confidence in her ability to continue working in a spirit of cooperation and integration.
He said, “ASEAN in Kuwait is one family, and we will continue working together to deepen cooperation and build bridges of communication with the friendly State of Kuwait.”
For her part, the Indonesian Ambassador congratulated the Republic of Viet Nam on its successful presidency, commending the efforts of the working group and the fruitful cooperation between the heads of missions.
She affirmed that the committee will continue to promote ASEAN’s interests and identity in Kuwait through joint activities and programs, adding that “the coming months will be filled with events aimed at supporting sustainable development and deepening the partnership between the peoples of ASEAN countries and Kuwait.”
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