PH Ambassador to Norway Addresses ASEAN Business Reception

(From left) Norwegian State Secretary Marianne Hagen, Singapore-Norway Chamber of Commerce Chairman Erik Borgen, and Philippine Ambassador to Norway Jocelyn Batoon-Garcia during the ASEAN business reception. (Oslo PE photo)

OSLO 06 September 2018 – Ambassador to Norway Jocelyn Batoon-Garcia feted ASEAN’s economic integration efforts and relations with Norway in her welcome remarks on behalf of the ASEAN Committee in Oslo (ACO) during the ASEAN business reception organized by the Singapore-Norway Chamber of Commerce (SNCC) on 22 August 2018.

“The case for ASEAN as a formidable economic bloc is stronger than ever. ASEAN is most definitely stronger than the sum of its parts”, said Ambassador Batoon-Garcia. She also lauded Norway’s promotion of shared advocacies with ASEAN as a sectoral dialogue partner.

Norwegian State Secretary Marianne Hagen, who was also in attendance at the event, likewise praised the advancement of ASEAN-Norway relations and looked forward to deepening economic relations between the two sides.

For his part, SNCC Chairman Erik Borgen indicated that with increased interest in ASEAN from the Norwegian business sector, the present chamber may be expanded into an ASEAN-Norway chamber of commerce.

The ASEAN business reception is an event of the SNCC that brings together the Norwegian Ambassadors to the ASEAN countries, ASEAN ambassadors to Norway, and senior representatives from the Norwegian corporate sector and businesses active in the ASEAN region for networking and expansion of business interests.

The ACO is a grouping of the five resident ASEAN embassies in Oslo—Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam—that aims to promote ASEAN awareness and ASEAN-Norway relations. The Philippines is chair of the ACO from July to December 2018. END

Ambassador Jocelyn Batoon-Garcia delivers her welcome remarks during the ASEAN business reception. (Oslo PE photo)

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