Philippine Embassy in Pretoria Celebrates ASEAN’s 50th Anniversary
The ASEAN Heads of Missions in Pretoria with the Guest of Honor, Dr. Anil Sooklal (from left to to right): Malaysian High Commissioner Dato’ Badruddin Ab Rahman, Myanmar Ambassador Myint Swe, Singapore High Commissioner Chua Thai Keong, Dr. Anil Sooklal from South Africa’s Departmment of International Relations and Cooperation, Indonesian Ambassador Suprapto Martosetomo, Thailand Ambassador Pornchai Danvivathana, Vietnam Ambassador Vu Van Dzung and Philippines’ Chargé d’affaires, a.i., Joselito Chad N. Jacinto, Jr.
10 August 2017 PRETORIA – All 7 ASEAN Missions present in Pretoria, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, under the banner of the ASEAN Pretoria Committee (APC) hosted a combined reception for the 50th anniversary of ASEAN last August 08.
The current APC chair, Indonesian Ambassador Suprapto Martosetomo, delivered the APC’s collective message which focused on ASEAN’s achievements in the past 50 years, as well as on ASEAN’s burgeoning stature in global politics and economy and the way forward to ASEAN Community Vision 2025.
The South African Government was represented by Dr. Anil Sooklal, Deputy Director-General for Asia and the Middle East of South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO). Dr. Sooklal warmly congratulated ASEAN on its 50th anniversary and highlighted the very close relationship in contemporary history between the Asian and African continents which arose from the Asian-African Conference held in Bandung in 1955. He thanked the ASEAN bloc for its support in the then campaign to end the apartheid era in South Africa.
Dr. Sooklal noted that since 1955, South Africa’s relationship with ASEAN member countries has grown. Currently, South Africa has 6 Embassies in the ASEAN region while 7 out of 10 ASEAN member countries are present in South Africa. Dr. Sooklal also remarked on ASEAN’s phenomenal growth even while other regional blocs are facing difficulties and noted that ASEAN provides an example on how to organize regionally.
ASEAN’s 50th anniversary reception was attended by members of the diplomatic community led by the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, H.E. Bene M’poko of the Democratic People’s Republic of Congo, DIRCO and other South African government officials, South African businessmen, and various friends of the ASEAN Missions in Pretoria. END
For more information, visit www.pretoriape.dfa.gov.ph.