PHILIPPINES— Malacañang on Monday confirmed the virtual participation of President Rodrigo Duterte to the 38th and 39th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summits and related conferences that start today, October 26.
Hosted by Brunei Darussalam and with the theme “We Care, We Prepare, We Prosper,” this year’s round of meetings between the Asean heads of states had to be done virtually because of the lingering threat of Covid-19.
Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said Duterte will join other leaders from the region via a series of videoconferences until the biennial event’s conclusion on October 28.
After the members-only summit, the regional group will hold separate conferences with Korea, China, United States, Japan, Australia, India and Russia.
Roque did not specify which dialogues Duterte will join, but he is particularly interested in topics involving the 10-nation bloc’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, security and strengthening and maintaining cooperation between Asean member nations and partner countries.
In a statement issued on October 23, Brunei highlighted several deliverables by the Asean with particular focus on community building in the political-security, economic community and social-cultural community fields.
Apart from Brunei and the Philippines, the other Asean member nations are Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
