AMM LANGKAWI TO SET THE TONE FOR ASEAN CHAIRMANSHIP 2025

By Rhoma Ahmad Razali

LANGKAWI, Jan 17 (Bernama) -- The ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat (AMM), set to take place tomorrow, will set the tone of Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship throughout the year.

Malaysia’s Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, said discussions and agreements reached during the retreat will be presented at the highest-level meetings involving ASEAN heads of state, scheduled for May and October or early November.

"During the meeting (AMM), there will be substantive discussions. A statement will be issued on the second day regarding the outcomes of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat.

"This will set the tone and provide a platform to submit matters at the level of heads of state, which will take place twice this year, mid-year and in October or early November," he said to reporters after visiting the AMM International Media Centre here on Friday.

He added that the AMM is particularly significant as Malaysia serves as the Permanent Key Leader of the High-Level Task Force on ASEAN Community’s Post-2025 Vision (HLTF-ACV), one of the key issues to be addressed tomorrow.

Mohamad, commenting on the preparations for the AMM at the Langkawi International Convention Centre, expressed his satisfaction and hoped the venue would offer a comfortable environment for all attending delegations.

"I hope the arrangements made will ensure a high level of comfort for all participants, as we are not only hosting domestic guests but also numerous international delegations. This necessitates a high level of preparedness, particularly in terms of logistics," he said.

The AMM, held at the Langkawi International Convention Centre, marks the first ministerial-level meeting under Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship for 2025, kicking off a busy and critical year.

Over 200 delegates from the 10 ASEAN member states, along with observer nation Timor-Leste, are expected to attend the retreat.

--BERNAMA