On 9 October 2024, at the National Convention Centre in Vientiane, as the Chair of ASEAN 2024, H.E. Sonexay SIPHANDONE, Prime Minister of the Lao PDR presided over the 44th ASEAN Summit (plenary session) and the 45th Summit (retreat session) under the theme “ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience” with the attendance of ASEAN Leaders, a non-political representative of Myanmar, Secretary-General of ASEAN and Prime Minister of Timor-Leste.

 The 44th ASEAN Summit reviewed the achievement made thus far in the strengthening of the ASEAN Community-building and charted out future directions for ASEAN. The Meeting commended the progress in implementing the ASEAN Vision 2025 and successful implementation of nine priorities of Lao PDR’s ASEAN Chairmanship 2024, focusing on enhancing regional integration and connectivity in the area of economy; forging an inclusive and sustainable future; transforming for the digital age; developing Strategic Plans to implement the ASEAN Vision 2045 with the aim of building a resilient, innovative, dynamic, and people-centred ASEAN Community; enhancing climate and environmental resilience; promoting culture and arts; advancing the role of women and children; and strengthening health resilience. The implementation of these priority areas is to ensure the continuity of strengthening of the ASEAN Community towards a more integrated, connected and resilient that is able to respond to various pressing challenges and seize opportunities to bring about benefit to ASEAN peoples amidst complex and rapid geo-political and geo-economic changes.

ASEAN leaders were pleased with progress in implementing the Roadmap for Timor-Leste’s Full Membership in ASEAN and looked forward to Timor-Leste’s full membership in the ASEAN family in the near future. 

The Meeting also discussed ASEAN’s relations with external partners, including its future direction, with the aim of enhancing relations and intensifying cooperation with external partners in accordance with ASEAN Way, while upholding ASEAN Centrality in the evolving regional architecture, thereby contributing to the ASEAN Community-building process as well as the maintenance and promotion of peace, stability and development in the region and the world. Notably, in external relations front, 2024 is the 50th Anniversary of ASEAN-Australia Dialogue Relations and the 35th anniversary of ASEAN-ROK Dialogue Relations and the ASEAN Leaders welcomed these commemorations. Additionally, the Meeting welcomed the Republic of Peru as a Development Partner of ASEAN.

During the 44th ASEAN Summit, the President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), as a Guest of the Chair provided a presentation to the Leaders on the current and forecast of future socio-economic growth in the region and the world, including AIIB’s cooperation with ASEAN Member States. The presentation provided is useful information as food for thoughts for ASEAN leaders’ consideration in charting out future directions of ASEAN Community building as well as in determining their respective national socio-economic development policies.

H.E. Sonexay SIPHANDONE continued to chair the 45th ASEAN Summit (retreat session), during which the Leaders engaged in frank discussions on regional and international issues of common interest, particularly the challenging issues facing the region, such as ongoing conflicts in various regions, economic and financial difficulties, climate change, natural disasters, transnational crimes, and other pressing issues.

Additionally, the Meeting discussed the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus of the ASEAN Leaders on Myanmar. The Meeting commended Lao PDR as the ASEAN Chair for its role in continuing to uphold ASEAN’s commitment to implementing the Five-Point Consensus. In this regard, the ASEAN Leaders’ Review and Decisions on the Implementation of the Five-Point Consensus is adopted.

During the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits, the ASEAN Leaders adopted 56 documents across the three ASEAN Community pillars, which will served as fundamental foundation for further enhancing ASEAN’s connectivity and resilience in the future.