ASEAN UNITY DRIVE 2025 NORTHERN ROUTE KICKS OFF IN HANOI 

By Vijian Paramasivam

PHNOM PENH, April 25 (Bernama) -- The ASEAN Unity Drive 2025 (AUD2025), a regional expedition promoting collaboration and sustainable mobility, commenced its Northern Route from Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, today.

Starting from Hanoi, the convoy will traverse through the culturally rich and scenic routes of Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand before arriving in Malaysia. 

The event was co-organised by the Embassy of Malaysia in Hanoi and Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and Iot Institute (MARii), an agency under the Malaysian Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI).

The AUD2025 covers over 9,000 kilometres across nine ASEAN countries, said a MARii press statement.

"We are proud that Hanoi is the starting point of the Northern Route of AUD2025. This initiative reflects the ASEAN spirit of unity and progress, and we are pleased to support such efforts that bring our nations closer together through innovation and sustainable development,” Malaysian Ambassador to Vietnam Datuk Tan Yang Thai said at the flag-off ceremony at the Malaysian Embassy in Hanoi.

The initiative aims to enhance connectivity in ASEAN, promote sustainable transportation solutions, and foster cross-border cooperation in innovation and mobility technologies, according to the press statement.

The journey will end at the Malaysia Autoshow 2025, Malaysia’s largest mobility and automotive exhibition to be held at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang from May 9 to 15, 2025.

-- BERNAMA