8 August 2025
Esteemed Citizens of
Myanmar and the Peoples of ASEAN,
On the auspicious occasion of the 58th Anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), I extend my heartfelt greetings and best wishes to all citizens of Myanmar and the peoples across ASEAN Member States, as we commemorate the 58th anniversary of our shared journey towards peace, prosperity, and regional unity. I wish all our peoples continued peace, development, and prosperity in the years ahead.
Since its inception in 1967, ASEAN
has remained steadfast in its mission to promote regional peace, stability,
development, and shared prosperity. With our combined efforts, wisdom and
vision of the Member States, ASEAN has grown into a robust regional community
promoting peace, stability, and prosperity. Myanmar is proud of being an
integral part of this journey and steadfast in upholding the ASEAN Charter,
recognizing its vital role in ensuring that our collective vision for a
peaceful and prosperous Southeast Asia.
ASEAN was established in 1967 by
Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Brunei
Darussalam joined in 1984, followed by Vietnam in 1995, Myanmar and Laos in
1997, and Cambodia in 1999. This remarkable journey reflects the collective
path undertaken by ASEAN member states, and we recall with honour and record
with appreciation that, through our joint efforts, we all have driven ASEAN’s
growth and accomplishments across political, economic, and socio-cultural
dimensions.
As ASEAN commemorates its 58th
anniversary, it has transformed Southeast Asia from a region once marked by
conflict and division into one of cooperation, peace, and growing prosperity.
Key milestones in ASEAN’s history include the establishment of the ASEAN
Community in 2015, built on political-security, economic and socio-cultural
pillars in the region. ASEAN has taken a leading role in fostering dialogue,
security cooperation, and regional integration through key forums such as ASEAN
Regional Forum (ARF), East Asia Summit (EAS), and ADMM-Plus. Additionally, it
is with a matter of satisfaction to note that the implementation of the ASEAN
Community Vision 2025 is in good progress.
The year 2025 marks a pivotal moment
for ASEAN Community Vision 2025 — a time to review achievements, recalibrate
priorities, and chart a comprehensive strategy to achieve the goals of the
ASEAN Community Vision 2045 – “Resilient, Innovative, Dynamic, and
People-Centred ASEAN”. It serves as a launchpad for ASEAN to reaffirm its
commitment to unity, sustainable development, economic dynamism, and regional
peace — ensuring that by 2045, ASEAN is a globally respected and thriving
community.
The Association must be competitive,
robust, responsive, and well-connected in the face of fast-changing geopolitics
and the world economic trends. With this backdrop, it is obvious that the theme
of the 2025 ASEAN Chairmanship, “Inclusivity and Sustainability”, resonates
well with our shared commitment to regional peace, security, stability, and
development. In order to strengthen ASEAN’s crucial role in engineering the
regional security architecture, we must work together to consolidate ASEAN’s
centrality and unity.
Our unity, anchored in the ASEAN
Charter, which enshrines territorial integrity, national sovereignty,
non-interference, peaceful resolution of disputes, good governance, and
multilateral cooperation, remains ASEAN’s guiding beacon. In the face of complex
regional and global challenges — geopolitical shifts, economic disruptions, and
climate-related crises — ASEAN has shown adaptability and resilience by
collectively charting pathways forward.
Today, we reaffirm our commitment to
the Charter’s principles, and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation — the core
instrument in its relations with the Dialogue Partners. Myanmar stands firm in
its commitment to ASEAN’s unity and centrality, guided by the principles and
aspirations of the ASEAN Charter. Despite the diverse political, cultural, and
economic landscapes of our Member States, ASEAN’s strength lies in our ability
to work together in unison while respecting each nation’s sovereignty.
The principle of non-interference, as
outlined in the ASEAN Charter, ensures that we address regional challenges
without external imposition, preserving the integrity of our collective
decision-making through consensus. Myanmar stands firmly with ASEAN in
rejecting any form of external interference.
Esteemed Citizens of
Myanmar and the Peoples of ASEAN,
As we commemorate the 58th
Anniversary of ASEAN, let us reaffirm our commitments to the ideals of unity in
diversity, collective resilience, and shared prosperity. Let us celebrate this
year’s Anniversary of ASEAN not only with pride in our past achievements, but
also with collective resolve to safeguard peace, foster prosperity, and nurture
the cultural richness of our region.
I wish all our peoples across the
ASEAN Member States continued success, peace and prosperity in the years ahead.
May the enduring spirit of ASEAN continue to live collectively in the hearts of
our peoples.
#TheGlobalNewLightOfMyanmar
No comments:
Post a Comment