Philippines Leads ASEAN Embassies in Wellington in 56th ASEAN Day Celebrations
“The shared cultural heritage of the peoples of ASEAN member countries and New Zealand underpins the strong people-to-people ties, the foundation of our cooperation.” Philippine Ambassador to New Zealand H.E. Kira Christianne D. Azucena, Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Wellington (ACW), 56th ASEAN Day Reception. (Wellington PE photo)
WELLINGTON 24 August 2023 – The ASEAN Committee in Wellington (ACW), led by the Philippine Ambassador Kira Christiane D. Azucena as current Chair, commemorated the 56th Anniversary of the ASEAN with a flag-raising ceremony and lunch reception.
In her keynote remarks, Ambassador Azucena cited the shared cultural heritage of the peoples of ASEAN member countries and New Zealand. “This underpins the strong people-to-people ties, the foundation of the cooperation,” she said.
Ambassador Azucena also cited New Zealand’s recognition of ASEAN’s vital role in its security and prosperity. As such, “both ASEAN and New Zealand are committed to working together to address common challenges as outlined in the Plan of Action to implement the Joint Statement for ASEAN-New Zealand Strategic Partnership 2021-2025,” she said.
Hon. Georginia Roberts, Divisional Manager of the Asia Regional Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand, who was Guest of Honor at the reception, in her remarks affirmed the importance of regional collaboration to address shared challenges and to foster economic growth and cultural understanding.
“ASEAN’S aims and fundamental principles continue to be important foundations for stability and security in the region. ASEAN-led institutions – like the East Asia Summit, ASEAN Regional Forum, ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus, and the Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum – are valuable fora to bring partners together for dialogue, cooperation, collaboration and consensus building,” she said.
She added that New Zealand looked forward to the signing of the AANZFTA (ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement) upgrade soon.
The event, which was held at the Embassy of Thailand, also showcased the gustatory delights of each ASEAN Member State to the guests, which included members of the Diplomatic Corps, New Zealand government officials, representatives of international organizations, representatives of the overseas communities of ASEAN Member States, and the private sector. END
The ASEAN handshake: (from left to right) Acting High Commissioner of Singapore Mr. Stephen Lim, Ambassador of Thailand Waravuth Pouapinya, High Commissioner of Malaysia Mazita binti Marzuki, New Zealand MFAT Divisional Manager of the Asia Regional Division Georginia Roberts, Ambassador of Indonesia Fientje Maritje Suebu, Ambassador of the Philippines Kira Christianne D. Azucena, and Ambassador of Viet Nam Nguyen Van Trung. (Wellington PE photo)