PH Promotes Building Back Better through ASEAN-Russia Economic Cooperation

Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for ASEAN Affairs Daniel R. Espiritu represented the Philippines at the 18th ASEAN-Russia Senior Officials’ Meeting. (DFA-Office of ASEAN Affairs photo)

PASAY CITY 26 May 2022 – Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for ASEAN Daniel R. Espiritu highlighted the need to build back better after the pandemic by enhancing trade and investment between ASEAN and Russia as he co-led with Singapore the discussions on ASEAN-Russia economic cooperation at the 18th ASEAN-Russia Senior Officials’ Meeting (ARSOM) held on 23 May 2022 via video conference.

Emphasizing the importance of implementing the ASEAN-Russia Trade and Investment Cooperation Roadmap and Work Program 2021-2025, Assistant Secretary Espiritu noted the need for regional infrastructure as well as for ASEAN societies to keep up with the rapid changes in digitalization.

During the meeting, the senior officials of ASEAN Member States and Russia discussed and reviewed ongoing cooperation and the future direction of ASEAN-Russia dialogue relations across three pillars of cooperation, namely political-security, economic, and socio-cultural.

The meeting also exchanged views on regional and international issues. Assistant Secretary Espiritu joined the call to strongly urge the parties to the Ukraine-Russia conflict to exert all efforts for the cessation of hostilities, to de-escalate the situation, and continue serious dialogue and diplomacy to settle disputes. He further reiterated ASEAN’s call for respect for principles to address the humanitarian crisis and safe access to humanitarian assistance in Ukraine.

Assistant Secretary Espiritu also expressed the Philippines’ view that “Russia as a Dialogue Partner should maintain its standing and representation in ASEAN meetings.  But we continue to reiterate to all of our external partners that no one should be allowed to disrupt or derail ASEAN-led activities, exclude any partner from them or to destroy the ASEAN process. Member inclusivity, and more importantly, ASEAN centrality should be maintained.”

Lastly, as this year marks the ASEAN-Russia Year of Scientific and Technical Cooperation (ARYSTC) 2022, the Meeting took note of activities between ASEAN and Russia that will revitalize scientific research and development especially in the areas of smart cities, food security, health, and digitalization.

Under the Cambodian Chairmanship of ASEAN, ASEAN and Russia will once again meet in Phnom Penh in August 2022 at the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference Session with Dialogue Partners.

Assistant Secretary Daniel R. Espiritu, in his capacity as the Director-General of the ASEAN-Philippines National Secretariat, represented Philippine Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Maria Theresa Lazaro in the 18th ARSOM. The meeting was co-chaired by H.E. Eat Sophea, Secretary of State and SOM Leader of Cambodia, and H.E. Igor Morgulov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and SOM Leader of Russia. END

(Photo courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia)