Four priority areas of cooperation, namely public health security, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) capacity building, climate-change resilient agricultural production, and sustainable energy have been emphasised by Cambodian top diplomat.

H.E. Prak Sokhonn, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia, called for the focus on the four priority areas of cooperation in the development of the successor ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Cooperation Work Plan (2023-2027), at the 22nd ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting organised via videoconference on Aug. 3, according to a press release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation made public this afternoon.

The APT Foreign Ministers’ Meeting expressed satisfaction on the substantive progress of implementing the APT Cooperation Work Plan (2018-2022) and looked forward to the development of the new APT Cooperation Work Plan for 2023-2027.

The Meeting recognised the leading role of the APT cooperation in mitigating the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and acknowledged the assistance of the Plus Three countries to ASEAN Member States as well as their contribution to ASEAN’s COVID-19 initiatives.

The Meeting looked forward to the early ratification and entry into force of the RCEP, which is expected to generate  tangible economic benefits for the entire region.