The meeting also discussed cooperation activities between the ASEAN Secretariat and the Secretariat of the Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean, to share lessons learnt on nuclear weapons-free zones.

Foreign ministers from the 10 ASEAN member countries have reviewed the work carried out under several important frameworks and future blueprints for the bloc’s intergovernmental commission and other fundamental initiatives.

Hosted and chaired by Laos’ Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Saleumxay Kommasith, a meeting of the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone Commission and related ASEAN foreign ministers’ meetings took place on Wednesday at the National Convention Centre in Vientiane.

The meetings convened were those of the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone Commission, ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Interface with the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights Representatives, and an Informal Consultation on the Implementation of the Five-Point Consensus.

The meeting of the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone Commission reviewed the progress made under the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapons Free Zone (2023-2027) and discussed Timor Leste’s accession to this treaty.

In addition, the meeting was informed about cooperation activities between the ASEAN Secretariat and the Secretariat of the Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean, to share lessons learnt on nuclear weapons-free zones.

Mr Saleumxay also presided over a meeting between ASEAN Foreign Ministers and the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights.

At the same meeting, the Chairman of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights in 2024, Mr Yong Chanthalansy, reported on the progress of implementation of the Commission’s priority activities over the past year.

These concern the safeguarding of women’s and children’s rights, combatting the use of violence, the rights of persons with disabilities, human trafficking, and the preparation of a new five-year work plan from 2026-2030, in compliance with the vision of the ASEAN Community to 2045

The foreign ministers praised the progress made in fulfilling the goals of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, which has contributed to the promotion and protection of human rights in ASEAN as well as the process of ASEAN Community building.

ASEAN foreign ministers encouraged the Commission to continue to fulfil its role and carry out its priority activities fruitfully and effectively in 2025.

In addition, the Deputy Prime Minister held bilateral meetings with the foreign ministers of several ASEAN member countries to discuss enhanced cooperation.

Asia News Network (ANN)/Vientiane Times