Paris (FN), May 2 – At the invitation of Secretary General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Mathias Cormann and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Secretary General of ASEAN Kao Kim Hourn led delegation from the ASEAN Secretariat to attend the 2024 Ministerial Council Meeting (MCM) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris, France.
On 30 April 2024, Kao Kim Hourn met with Minister of State for Development Francophonie and International Partnerships of France Chrysoula Zacharopoulou. They exchanged views on ways and means to enhance cooperation under the ASEAN-France Development Partnership, among others.
Kao Kim Hourn also expressed appreciation for France’s commitment to its cooperative relationship with ASEAN, both bilaterally and through the ASEAN-European Union (EU) framework.
On the same day, Kao Kim Hourn also met with Deputy CEO of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) Marie-Hélène Loison in Paris, France. During the meeting, both sides discussed current and future activities supported by AFD under the ASEAN-France Development Partnership, among others. Kao Kim Hourn commended the AFD’s role in commissioning and implementing various French projects with ASEAN and ASEAN member states through its long presence and engagement in the region.
During his meeting with the Secretary General of the OECD Mathias Cormann, both sides discussed preparations for Secretery-General Kao Kim Hourn’s participation in the 2024 Meeting of the OECD Council at Ministerial Level (MCM), the latest developments in ASEAN’s engagement with the OECD as well as the development of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 along with the four Strategic Plans, among others.
In addition, ASEAN secretary general also met with Ambassador of France for the Indo-Pacific Marc Abensour. They discussed ways and means to strengthen the ASEAN-France Development Partnership as well as in enhancing cooperation under the four priority areas of ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP). Kao Kim Hourn also welcomed the successful convening of the 3rd EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum held in February earlier this year in Brussels, Belgium.
Secretary general Kao Kim Hourn attended a working dinner with members of the ASEAN Committee in Paris (ACP) yesterday evening, hosted by Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to France and Chair of the ACP Sarun Charoensuwan. He updated the ACP on the latest developments in ASEAN and ASEAN-France relations. He also expressed his appreciation for ACP’s important contribution in helping promote the ASEAN-France development partnership, as well as in raising the profile and awareness of ASEAN in France.
=FRESH NEWS
