1 March 2016 - On January 01, the Philippine Embassy in Lisbon assumed the chairmanship of the ASEAN Committee Lisbon Portugal (ACLP) from the Indonesian Embassy in Lisbon. Ambassador Mulya Wirana of Indonesia formally turned over his Chairman’s report for the period July to December 2015 to incoming Chairman Ambassador Philippe J. Lhuillier of the Philippines. Ambassador Lhuillier will serve as ACLP Chairman until the end of June 2016.

Under his Chairmanship, Ambassador Lhuillier seeks to pursue activities that seek to engage high level officials of the Portuguese government in order to discuss ways to enhance Portugal’s relations with ASEAN and the conduct of a seminar for the Portuguese business community on the opportunities of doing business in the ASEAN Community.

In the latter part of 2014, the three Embassies agreed that there was a common need and interest to push further the interests of ASEAN in Portugal under a more permanent and formal framework in consideration of the 500 years of engagement between Portugal and the Southeast Asian region, Portugal’s important links with the EU, as well as the community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP). The ACLP is composed of the three ASEAN member countries who have a resident Embassy in Lisbon, Portugal, namely, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand. The main activities of the ACLP involve promoting the identity and interests of ASEAN in Portugal and with the Portuguese people. END.