On 10 August 2018 at Ministry Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR, H.E. Saleumxay KOMMASITH, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR presided over the Flag Hoisting ceremony to mark the 51^st Anniversary of the Founding of ASEAN (8 August 1967-8 August 2018) and 21^st Anniversary of Lao PDR’s Accession to ASEAN (23 July 1997-23 July 2018) attended by the Ministers overseeing the three ASEAN community pillars, Deputy Ministers, Ambassadors of ASEAN Member States and Dialogue Partners to the Lao PDR, representatives from international organisations, Director-Generals and officials.

            At the Opening Ceremony, H.E. Saleumxay KOMMASITH highlighted ASEAN’s achievements over the past more than half a century, despite limitations and challenges along the way. The ASEAN region and its people have enjoyed regional peace and stability as well as the results of enhanced cooperation among ASEAN Member States and between ASEAN and its friends across the world, particularly ASEAN’s Dialogue Partners.

“ASEAN today is one of the world’s most successful regional organisations that is outward-looking and instrumental in the open and inclusive regional architecture with ASEAN at the centre. The Lao PDR is proud to be a part of the ASEAN family. Thanks to the assistance, support and cooperation from ASEAN Member States and all ASEAN’s partners, we have been able to fulfil our commitment and obligation as a member state over the past 2 decades”, he added.

On this occasion, the Minister expressed his gratitude for the outpouring of support, swift assistance and relief efforts given by ASEAN Member States, the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre), Dialogue Partners of ASEAN, other friendly countries and international organisations in the wake of flash floods caused by the collapse of the saddle dam of Xe Pien-Xe Namnoy hydropower dam project in Attapeu Province. This demonstrates the solidarity, and the spirit of caring and sharing community within ASEAN as well as between ASEAN and its external partners.

            The Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN was established on 8 August 1967. ASEAN now has 10 members namely: Brunei Darussalam, the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Republic of Indonesia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Singapore, the Kingdom of Thailand and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam.