PH Hosts ASEAN Day Celebrations in Brasilia
Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department for Asia and the Pacific Acting Undersecretary Ary Quintella (fourth from left) joins the seven ASEAN Ambassadors who compose the ASEAN Committee in Brasilia. (Brasilia PE photo)
BRASILIA 29 October 2018 – The ASEAN Committee in Brasilia (ACB), under the chairmanship of the Philippines, celebrated the 51st anniversary of ASEAN Day at the Philippine Embassy in Brasilia on 27 September 2018.
Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department for Asia and the Pacific Acting Undersecretary Ary Quintella was the guest of honor. Also in attendance were the diplomatic corps of ASEAN member countries and ASEAN dialogue partners, and representatives of Brazilian Government agencies.
In her keynote address, Ambassador to Brazil Marichu B. Mauro said that the celebration of 51st ASEAN Day is a tribute to its contributions to regional community-building in pursuit of peace and security, economic progress, and people-development.
“ASEAN has achieved significant gains in achieving its aspiration to become an open, transparent, inclusive and rules-based community,” Ambassador Mauro said.
Ambassador Mauro also took stock of ASEAN-Brazil relations which enjoy robust trade relations
amounting to over USD 17 billion making ASEAN Brazil’s fourth largest trade partner.
“ASEAN-Brazil relations must expand more and deepen on all fronts especially in agriculture, tourism, infrastructure, energy, culture, and education,” she added.
This sentiment was reiterated by guest of honor Undersecretary Quintella in his keynote address.
“The deepening of relations between Brazil and the countries of Southeast Asia is an objective
shared by our governments, with a strong potential for mutual benefits for our societies,” he said.
He added that this is one of the priorities of Brazilian foreign policy, evidenced by the recent visits to Southeast Asian countries by Foreign Minister Aloysio Nunes in September 2017 and in May 2018, when he met in Jakarta with the ASEAN Secretary General Dato Lim and Assistant Secretary-General for Asia and the Pacific Henrique Sardinha, last month for political consultations with the various ASEAN countries including the Philippines.
Current ACB Chair Ambassador to Brazil Marichu B. Mauro delivers her keynote address. (Brasilia PE photo)
ASEAN Ambassadors along with Undersecretary Ary Quintella cut the ceremonial cake. (Brasilia PE photo)
In attendance were the diplomatic corps of ASEAN member countries and ASEAN dialogue partners, and representatives of Brazilian Government agencies. (Brasilia PE photo)
For more information, visit www.brasiliape.dfa.gov.ph / www.philembassybrasilia.org or https://www.facebook.com/PHEmbassyinBrazil.