Cambodia Steps Forward to 55th AMM

After joining the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on April 30, 1999, Cambodia is holding the bloc chairmanship for the third time this year. As the Chair for 2022, Cambodia has hosted and is going to host many important meetings, including the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) to be held in the near future.

Dr. Kin Phea, Director-General of the International Relations Institute at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, has given his insights over the forthcoming AMM, stressing that it is an important meeting to exchange views on key regional and international issues and release statements on those issues.

The ASEAN foreign ministers will also discuss and set agenda for the ASEAN Summit in November, he pointed out.

“I think that the upcoming 55th AMM is an important task for Cambodia, as the Chair of ASEAN, to coordinate and ensure that this meeting runs smoothly. This meeting is also time to consult with other ASEAN members on key agendas to be discussed at the annual ASEAN Summit,” he said.

In the AMM, different issues of the ASEAN framework cooperation will generally be raised, as well as hot issues in the region and the world, including traditional security issues, terrorism, climate change, disasters, violence, or arms race, he underlined, adding that these are the topics that the ASEAN foreign ministers and partners need to discuss.

Regarding the anticipation after hosting the AMM, Dr. Kin Phea said the successful organisation of this meeting will show Cambodia’s equality with other counties in regional and international affairs.

This is the most important aspect because Cambodia, previously known as the Killing Field and an isolated state under political and economic sanctions, has become a nation playing roles in the region and the world, he explained.

Moreover, it will positively reflect Cambodia’s ability in terms of both human capital and other resources, he said, continuing that the national prestige will be enhanced on the international stage as many international guests will come to Cambodia and witness her real development and new image.

In addition to the success in containing and preventing the COVID-19 spread, the current development achievements are what we need to show to the world, he said.

“This is also an opportunity for us to promote Cambodia’s image to the world more widely, which will attract more investment and build more trust from foreign investors and international tourists,” Dr. Kin Phea stressed.

AMM was established under the Bangkok Declaration in 1967 after ASEAN was founded that year on Aug. 8.

According to the ASEAN Secretariat, AMM is responsible for ASEAN’s political-security cooperation as well as ASEAN’s relations with external parties in ASEAN. The AMM meets at least four times a year and may convene special meetings as and when necessary to discuss issues that require immediate attention of ASEAN. The AMM regularly reviews and discusses ASEAN Community-building efforts, its strategic future directions, as well as the conduct of ASEAN’s external relations.

The AMM Related Meetings include the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), ASEAN Post Ministerial Conferences (PMCs), ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Interface with the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (EAS FMM), and Meeting of the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEAWFZ) Commission, and so on.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press