PH Joins 31st ASEAN-Australia Forum in Malaysia
PHOTO: Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for ASEAN Affairs and Philippines-ASEAN National Secretariat Director-General Junever Mahilum-West (second from left) represented Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Policy Enrique A. Manalo at the recent 31st ASEAN-Australia Forum held on 02-03 May 2019 in Putrajaya, Malaysia.
The event was participated in by Senior officials from the 10 ASEAN Member States, the ASEAN Deputy Secretary General and Senior officials from Australia. Malaysia, current country coordinator for ASEAN-Australia Dialogue relations, co-chaired the meeting with Australia.
The Forum was co-chaired by Malaysia and Australia, represented respectively by Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secretary General Dato’ Sri Muhammad Shahrul Ikram Yaakob (seventh from left), and Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Deputy Secretary (Indo-Pacific Groups) Richard Maude.
The Forum had frank exchange of views on regional and global issues and developments in ASEAN and Australia. It also tracked the progress, discussed updates and marked the trajectory of ASEAN-Australia strategic partnership cooperation in the political-security, economic and socio-cultural spheres, as ASEAN and Australia mark 45 years of dialogue relations this year and prepare for a new five-year Plan of Action beginning next year. (DFA-ASEAN External Relations Division photo)