ASEAN Committee in Doha (ACD) Celebrates ASEAN Day
Skipping the traditional “ASEAN handshake” as a precautionary health measure, ACD Heads of Missions led by His Excellency Muhamed Bahrin Abu Bakr, Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam to Qatar and Chair of ACD (fourth from right), together with the Chief Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (man in white Thobe), take a normal pose for a souvenir photo. Philippine Ambassador Alan L. Timbayan is seen second from the left flank. (Photo courtesy of Brunei Darussalam Embassy in Doha)
DOHA 09 September 2020 – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Committee in Doha (ACD) celebrated this year’s ASEAN Day on 06 September 2020, marking the 53rd Anniversary of ASEAN since its founding on 08 August 1967.
The celebration was held and hosted by the Embassy of Brunei Darussalam that chairs the ACD. Other members of the ACD are the Embassies of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Philippine Ambassador to Qatar Alan L. Timbayan, together with First Secretary and Consul General Roussel R. Reyes, attended the ASEAN Day celebration along with other ACD Heads of Missions and their officials, the Chief Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the local media.
The event was highlighted by the outdoor hoisting of the ASEAN flag and the playing of the ASEAN anthem.
In his remarks, Brunei Ambassador to Qatar, His Excellency Ambassador Muhamed Bahrin Abu Bakr reflected on the theme “Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN in 2020.”
He echoed the call of ASEAN Secretary General Dato Lim Jock Hoi to develop a robust, holistic, and pragmatic post-pandemic recovery framework to mitigate the socio-economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the peoples of ASEAN, while it continues to advance regional economic integration.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Ambassador Abu Bakr described Qatar as exemplary for successfully managing the COVID-19 health crisis in the country under the leadership of His Highness the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Ambassador Abu Bakr also aptly commended state-run Qatar Airways for its important role and efforts in repatriating hundreds of thousands of displaced and stranded nationalities all over the world at the height of the pandemic.
In closing, Ambassador Abu Bakr expressed optimism for ASEAN as countries outside the region take growing interest in engaging and developing strong cooperation with ASEAN. He said that the ASEAN Committee in Doha or ACD will continue to play its role in promoting ASEAN’s interest and in forging partnership with the Host Country on various fields.
The ASEAN Day celebration was deferred for a month to coincide with the final phase of lifting of local health restrictions in Qatar. END
During the hoisting of the ASEAN flag and playing of ASEAN anthem. (Photo courtesy of Brunei Darussalam Embassy in Doha)
For more information, visit https://www.dohape.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHinQatar/.