By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar
JAKARTA, Feb 7 (Bernama) -- ASEAN has urged Pakistan to support the upcoming ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and its Strategic Plans while deepening cooperation across the four key areas outlined in the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific.
The bloc also called on Pakistan to back the implementation of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025 and the Initiative for ASEAN Integration Work Plan IV, welcoming collaboration with ASEAN’s centres of excellence.
“ASEAN and Pakistan share the view that there are significant opportunities for closer collaboration and recognise the importance of working together to fully realise the potential of their partnership,” the ASEAN Secretariat said in a statement.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening ties during the 8th Meeting of the ASEAN-Pakistan Joint Sectoral Cooperation Committee at the ASEAN Headquarters in Jakarta on Thursday.
Officials discussed expanding cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including transnational crime, peace and reconciliation, trade, digital economy, cybersecurity, food security, energy security, tourism, renewable energy, infrastructure, disaster management, climate change, education, human resources, and people-to-people exchanges.
The meeting also addressed Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship priorities for 2025, progress on the ASEAN Smart Cities Network, and ASEAN’s initiatives to promote sustainable development and reduce development gaps.
ASEAN deputy secretary-general for socio-cultural community, San Lwin, co-chaired the meeting with Pakistan’s Ambassador to ASEAN, Ameer Khurram Rathore.
Delegates from the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN were also present, with Timor-Leste attending as an observer.
-- BERNAMA
