2nd ACD Summit successfully ends in Bangkok

BANGKOK, October 11 (TNA) - The 2nd Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) Summit has successfully concluded in Bangkok with an agreement on regional cooperation toward the sustainable development and the formation of the Asian Community in the future. Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha told a press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok on Monday evening, after the end of the 2nd ACD Summit in the Thai capital during October 8-10, that the gathering of leaders of 34 member countries in Thailand this time represented a new historic step since the establishment of ACD in 2002, as the ACD leaders have agreed on jointly shaping a clear guideline on regional cooperation toward the Asian Community with sustainable and inclusive development in the future. The prime minister said key agreed points at the 2nd ACD Summit include the endorsement of the ACD Vision for Asian Cooperation 2030 when the Asian Community is targeted to be established with sustainable development, focused on six pillars of cooperation to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030 (SDGs), the Bangkok Declaration 2017-2021 on developing the ACD Vision into concrete practices through an operational blueprint and the ACD Statement, in which the Asian existing role and opportunity on stimulating growth through regional partnership for connectivity is declared amid the gradual world economic recovery and remaining challenges. According to the Thai leader, there was also an agreed confidence in the potential and strength of Asia and in the "Asian Century" when the region becomes a main actor to stimulate the global economy with ACD representing a potential regional cooperation framework by utilizing strength and diversity of member nations for mutual benefits. Prime Minister General Prayut noted that Thailand offered to work together with all other ACD member countries and with all sectors to set up the Sub-Working Group on Reigniting Growth based on the agreed six pillars of concrete cooperation, namely food, energy and water security, connectivity, science technology and innovation, education and human resource development, tourism and culture. The Thai prime minister also extended Thailand's appreciation to ACD members for offering to be key drivers in different fields of cooperation, namely China and the United Arab Emirate for food, water and energy security, South Korea for science, technology and innovation, Iran for culture and tourism and Bhutan for the promotion of gross national happiness, while Thailand offered to be a key driver for the inclusive and sustainable development to promote exchange of development channels that are suitable for each member country. The prime minister revealed that the ACD member countries will then each set up working committees to work together, work out their action plans and timeframes of their implementation and will report their progress to the ACD Ministerial Meeting in September 2017, to be held in parallel with the 72nd United Nations General Assembly (UNGA72). (TNA)