First ASEAN Forum Held at Buenos Aires Province Senate

Ambassador to Argentina Linglingay F. Lacanlale (third from right), Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Buenos Aires, together with the Ambassadors of Thailand (third from left), Indonesia (center), and Vietnam (second from right), are welcomed by Senator Juan Manuel Pignocco (extreme right) of the foreign relations committee of the Senate of Buenos Aires Province. (Buenos Aires PE photo)

BUENOS AIRES 03 October 2019 — The ASEAN Committee in Buenos Aires, in partnership with the Senate of the Province of Buenos Aires, held the first ASEAN Forum at the Buenos Aires Province Senate on 16 September 2019.

The event was spearheaded by the Philippine Embassy in Argentina, which holds the Chairmanship of the ASEAN Committee until the end of 2019, and saw the participation of senators, businessmen, members of the academe, and more than 200 students from different universities.  Mr. Bruno Porchietto, Chief Executive Officer of TecPlata, the Argentine subsidiary of the Philippine company ICTSI, was also present at the event.

In her remarks, Ambassador to Argentina Linglingay F. Lacanlale championed the continuing importance and relevance of ASEAN to the global community, citing the role it has played in building political cohesion on many regional and international issues. She spoke on ASEAN’s role in maintaining peace, establishing mechanisms to deal with regional problems, as well as its undeniable significance to the global economy.

Senator Juan Manuel Pignocco, foreign relations committee of the Buenos Aires Province Senate, underscored the importance of ASEAN for Argentina, and noted that it is now one of the biggest markets for Argentine products.

An academic panel composed of Argentine specialists on Southeast Asia then outlined strategic considerations as to why Argentina should pursue closer relations with ASEAN, particularly in the area of trade, drawing attention to ASEAN’s growing middle classes, the rapid economic growth of its member countries, and access to the rest of Asia.

The panel was followed by presentations by the ASEAN Ambassadors on their respective countries, which were punctuated with videos on each country’s economic situation, as well as tourism. Ambassador Lacanlale sketched a brief overview of Philippine-Argentine diplomatic relations over the last 71 years, and spoke about the Philippines’ dynamic economy, booming tourism, and cultural similarities with Argentina. END

For more information, visit  http://buenosairespe.dfa.gov.phor https://www.facebook.com/PHinArgentina/.