Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Thongphan Savanphet led a Lao delegation to attend the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (ASEAN SOM) in Manila, the Philippines on May 22.
The ASEAN SOM, which was chaired by the Philippines, discussed the continued efforts on strengthening the ASEAN Community, including external relations and cooperation, and the role of ASEAN Centrality.
The meeting also discussed preparations for the 50th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting with Dialogue Partners, the 13th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Plus Three, the 7th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the 24th ASEAN Regional Forum, and activities for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of ASEAN, which will fall in the forthcoming August 2017.