‘ASEAN: A Community of Opportunities’

The ASEAN Committee in Athens (ACAT), in cooperation with the Faculty of Turkish and Asian Studies, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, recently organised a seminar on the theme of ‘ASEAN: A Community of Opportunities’ at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

The event was attended by more than 80 participants, consisting of Ambassadors, officials, think tanks and professors and students from the university. Head of the Faculty of Turkish and Asian Studies, Ioannis Mazis, made a speech about the Unity of ASEAN. Ambassador of Viet Nam, Tran Thi Ha Phuong, then presented general information about ASEAN and the journey of building the ASEAN Community. Each pillar of the ASEAN Community such as political security, economic and socio cultural were presented by the Ambassador of the Philippines Nestor Z.Ochoa, the Ambassador of Indonesia Benny Bahanadewa and the Ambassador of Thailand Joompol Manaschuang.

The seminar’s purpose was to promote the ASEAN Community which was formally established on 31st December 2015. The establishment of the ASEAN Community in 2015 is a major milestone in the regional integration agenda in ASEAN, offering opportunities in the form of a huge market of US$2.6 trillion and over 622 million people. In 2015, the ASEAN market was collectively the 3rd largest economy in Asia and the 7th largest in the world.

The ASEAN Community includes 10 member states: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam.

Pictured above: Addressing their captivated audience comprised of diplomats, professors, students and representatives from various think tanks – Their Excellencies the Ambassador of Viet Nam Tran Thi Ha Phuong; the Ambassador of the Philippines Nestor Z. Ochoa; the Ambassador of Indonesia Benny Bahanadewa; and the Ambassador of Thailand Joompol Manaschuang.

(Photographs by C. Costakis/GDL)