Cambodia has voiced support for the “EAS Leaders’ Statement on Women, Peace and Security” and expressed commitment to work with all EAS countries to identify areas of cooperation to promote women’s meaningful participation at all levels of conflict prevention, peacekeeping operation and peace-building efforts.
H.E. Dr. Aun Pornmoniroth, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, who represented Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, reaffirmed the commitment at the 15th East Asia Summit held on Nov. 14 via Videoconference, on the margin of the 37th ASEAN Summit.
Cambodia also called upon EAS participating countries to give particular focus on global health emergencies issues and economic recovery cooperation when pursuing the implementation of the Manila Plan of Action. Along this line, the EAS should give attention to upgrading skill and re-skilling of the labour force so as to keep the economies competitive in the post-COVID19 new normal.
The 15th East Asia Summit started with the briefings by the United Nations Secretary General and the World Bank Group President. The Secretary General called for countries to mobilise a stimulus package amounting to at least 10 percent of global GDP and stressed on the need to help countries finance COVID-19 recovery and the longer-term investments to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals. The President of the World Bank warned that the COVID-19 pandemic may push up to 150 million people into extreme poverty in its first year, and called for debt reduction and debt resolution to avoid another major debt crisis.
The Meeting underscored the importance of strengthening the EAS as a Leaders-led platform to ensure the EAS to remain relevance and effectiveness in addressing the fast-changing global complexity of the geopolitical landscape. As a significant milestone of the EAS process, the Meeting adopted the Ha Noi Declaration on the 15th Anniversary of the East Asia Summit.
The Leaders emphasised the importance of ASEAN Centrality and shared commitment to collectively address the severe impacts of COVID-19 and achieve post-pandemic recovery. They agreed on enhancing multilateral cooperation to ensure affordable vaccines available to all, upholding rules-based international order, promoting mutual trust and confidence and practical cooperation on the basis of mutual benefit and mutual respect to address the common challenges.
The EAS participating countries supported synergies and complementarities between the EAS and other ASEAN-led initiatives which will enhance peace, security and inclusive growth, including through projects and activities under the ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific. The EAS Leaders also discussed other challenging issues that need collective and holistic approaches such as climate change and environment protection, disaster management, maritime security and transnational crimes such as cybersecurity and terrorism.
The Leaders welcomed the progress of cooperation under the Manila Plan of Action to Advance the Phnom Penh Declaration on the EAS Development Initiative (2018-2022) and affirmed commitment to the effective implementation of the Plan.