ASEAN次世代専門家グループ招へい（第1期：経済安全保障）Chanthouna Southammavong

The program entitled: “JFSEAP Group Invitation for Next-generation Experts in ASEAN (Economic Security)” was held at a time when the regional and international situation is complex and unpredictable, as well as the right after new administration of the United State of America just took place a month before.

ASEAN is a community that committed to reducing development divides, continuing to actively promote engagement and cooperation between ASEAN and external development partners for the sustainable development of the region and the world at large. ASEAN highly values Japan's efforts and cooperation in working closely together, especially Japan's commitment to upholding the ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific (AOIP) in the 4 major areas: maritime cooperation, connectivity, sustainable development goals and economic development and others for peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

With an aim to further enhance the cooperation between ASEAN and Japan, as well as individually each respective countries of ASEAN and Japan, participants from ASEAN countries were tried to catch up and shared their ideas and also perspectives to figure out the potential on how to further enhance and deepen the cooperation with Japan on economic sector. I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Japan Foundation as well as its staffs and Dr. IGATA Akira, Project Advisor and his students for their kind assistance and hospitality during our ASEAN participants stayed in Tokyo and Kyoto, with the harmony and enrich culture of Japan that I ever felt and enjoyed before even I used to study and work in Japan before totally 12 years.

I also felt free to participate and jump in the conversation on various issues and raised my attention during our visit to the concerned authorities and business sectors of Japan which they had their own perspectives on economic security. I strongly believe that with our close cooperation and coordination, this program will be further expanded its role to get together ASEAN participants in various field and across sectors to share and discuss on how to realize the outcome of the meeting between the leaders of ASEAN and Japan.

Year 2025 is the year of commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Diplomatic Relation between the Lao PDR and Japan, and the 60th anniversary of the dispatching of Japanese volunteers to cooperate and assist the Lao PDR, the leaders of Lao PDR and Japan agreed to upgrade our diplomatic ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in January 2025. The Lao PDR highly appreciates and expresses its gratitude to the Government and the people of Japan for their support and cooperation in the Lao PDR over the past period. Japan is one of the first countries to provide official development assistance to the Lao PDR in the formulation and implementation of the 5-year National Socio-Economic Development Plan, which has been achieved in stages, which has gradually upgraded the living standards of the Lao people.

Along with good political cooperation, economic cooperation is an important key to deepen Laos-Japan ties and cooperation, making the most of the country's hidden strengths, such as cooperation in energy, transportation, agricultural production and etc. I would like to reaffirm my commitment to continue to be a bridge of Laos-Japan relations and cooperation, applying the lessons learned and experience, as well as the good connections that I gained from participating in this program, to continue to build a wider network, especially the network with the concerned authorities and business sectors of Japan.

The Lao PDR has successfully assumed the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2024, which has received close cooperation, support and assistance from the ASEAN family and ASEAN development partners. As a landlocked country and in order to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the theme ASEAN: Connectivity and Resilience remains an important theme for ASEAN in reducing development disparities and building strength within ASEAN to further development of ASEAN.

I observe that ASEAN and Japan still have a lot of hidden tendencies, and this program is an initiative to commemorate the 50th relations and cooperation between Japan and ASEAN in 2023, which proposed by the Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio of Japan. It was my honored to have an opportunity to participate in this program, which has resulted in a frank exchange of views as well as the commitment of ASEAN member states to exchange and promote mutual understanding between ASEAN and Japan in the future. Finally, I do hope that this program will be further broadened and success in the years to come.