MFA Press Statement: 23rd ASEAN Summit, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong attended the 23^rd ASEAN Summit in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam today.  The meeting was chaired by His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, and was attended by all the Heads of State/Government of ASEAN Member States as well as the ASEAN Secretary-General.

The ASEAN Leaders reviewed the progress charted towards establishing an ASEAN Community in 2015 since they last met in April 2013.  The Leaders also exchanged views on regional and international developments, and discussed ways to sustain ASEAN’s centrality in the evolving regional architecture.  In order to strengthen ASEAN’s capacity to operate in an increasingly complex global environment and tackle its growing responsibilities, the Leaders adopted the Terms of Reference of the High-level Task Force (HLTF) on Strengthening the ASEAN Secretariat and Reviewing the ASEAN Organs.  This paves the way for the establishment of the HLTF and the commencement of its work.  Acknowledging that ASEAN integration was an ongoing task, the Leaders discussed the mapping out of a post-2015 Vision for ASEAN.  To that end, the Leaders adopted the Bandar Seri Begawan Declaration on the ASEAN Community’s Post-2015 Vision, which tasks the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) to develop ASEAN’s Post-2015 Vision by the time of the 27^th ASEAN Summit in 2015. 

The ASEAN Leaders also welcomed the adoption of the ASEAN Sub-Regional Haze Monitoring System (HMS), as a joint haze monitoring system among Sub-Regional Ministerial Steering Committee (MSC) on Transboundary Haze Pollution countries. 

The ASEAN Leaders expressed their warm appreciation for the excellent Chairmanship of Brunei Darussalam under the guidance of His Majesty.  The Leaders pledged their firm support for the Chairmanship of Myanmar in 2014.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
9 OCTOBER 2013