Kuala Lumpur: Mr. Thongsavanh Phomvihane, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR, led a delegation to participate in a series of ASEAN meetings, including the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Committee Meeting, the 29th ASEAN Political-Security Community Council Meeting, the 34th ASEAN Coordination Council Meeting, and the ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, which were chaired by the Foreign Minister of Malaysia as the 2025 ASEAN Chair.

According to Lao News Agency, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting reviewed the progress of cooperation under the ASEAN Community and the implementation of Malaysia’s ASEAN Chair priorities for 2025 under the theme ‘Comprehensive and Sustainable Participation’. Discussions included a proposal for countries outside the region to join the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.

The meetings addressed the implementation of the five ASEAN Leaders’ Agreements on Myanmar and discussed Timor-Leste’s preparations for ASEAN membership. The Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Committee meeting adopted documents to amend the Treaty to facilitate Timor-Leste’s accession.

The 29th ASEAN Political-Security Community Council assessed the progress of activities under its pillar, including the ASEAN Political-Security Community Master Plan 2025. The 36th ASEAN Coordinating Council focused on preparations for the 46th ASEAN Summit and related summits on May 26-27, 2025.

The meetings agreed to propose the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and strategic plans for various ASEAN communities and connectivity to ASEAN Leaders for formal adoption at the 46th ASEAN Summit, aiming to guide ASEAN cooperation for the next two decades. Reports including the ASEAN Secretary-General’s report, the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN, and others were noted and adopted.

The ASEAN-GCC Ministerial Meeting reviewed the progress of the ASEAN-GCC Cooperation Framework (2024-2028) and encouraged strengthened cooperation in economic, energy, digital economy, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and tourism sectors, while preparing for the 2nd ASEAN-GCC Summit and the ASEAN-GCC-China Summit on May 27, 2025.