18 November 2014 - The ASEAN Committee in Abuja (ACA) held a Sportsfest on November 08 and the ACA meeting on November 12, during which the ACA bid goodbye to Indonesian Ambassador Sudirman Haseng and his spouse, Mrs. Dian Haseng.
The staff and family members of the five ASEAN Embassies in Abuja – Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam – attended the Sportsfest held at the residence of the Indonesian Defense Attache on November 08. The Diplomatic Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DICAN) also joined the sports events. The whole day affair featured games such as volleyball, table tennis, badminton, and football, which were enjoyed by the ASEAN diplomats and their Nigerian friends from the DICAN.
In his speech, Indonesian Ambassador Sudirman expressed appreciation for the cooperation and friendship extended to him and his wife by the ASEAN missions in Abuja in the last four years. He also thanked the Diplomatic Correspondents Association of Nigeria for joining the sportsfest. On behalf of the ACA, current Chair and Thai Ambassador Chailert Limsomboon expressed his and ACA’S good wishes for Ambassador Sudirman’s further success as he returns to Jakarta.
On November 12, ACA Chair Thai Ambassador Chailert Limsomboon hosted a luncheon meeting for the ASEAN Ambassadors and their spouses, together with the ACA Working Group. During the meeting, the ASEAN Ambassadors discussed the proposed projects and activities of ACA in 2015, including the ASEAN Day celebration and the ASEAN Film Week. ACA also formally bid goodbye to the Indonesian Ambassador and his spouse, and presented them with a farewell gift. The ASEAN Ambassadors paid tribute for the significant contributions made by the Indonesian Ambassador and his wife in building camaraderie among the ASEAN Missions in Abuja. Philippine Ambassador to Nigeria Alex Lamadrid conveyed sincere appreciation to Madame Dian Haseng for her kind contribution to the victims of supertyphoon Yolanda/Haiyan. It may be recalled that Madame Haseng contributed a sum of money for the rehabilitation of mosques destroyed by the supertyphoon. END