The event was organised by the Sejm of the Republic of Poland in collaboration with the Polish Institute of International Affairs, the University of Warsaw, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The conference’s opening session introduced by Speaker of the Sejm Elżbieta Witek featured pre-recorded video remarks by Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau.

In his address, he emphasised the importance of ASEAN in ensuring peace, stability and growth in South-East Asia. Minister Rau pointed to the Association’s spectacular success in delivering uninterrupted economic development and prosperity for the more than 600m of its residents. Poland’s top diplomat said that the developments of the past two years such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine have presented the world with new political and economic challenges which, in order to be overcome, call for enhanced cooperation at the global, regional and bilateral level. “We need each other more than ever,” he said.

The minister announced that Poland is ready to deepen its economic cooperation with the region and individual ASEAN members, including with respect to shortages in supply chains. In this context, he also appealed to the region’s countries to eliminate non-tariff barriers, the biggest obstacle for Polish goods to reaching local markets. Finally, Zbigniew Rau commented on disinformation about Russia’s aggression against Ukraine that is spreading throughout the ASEAN region and underlined that Poland is willing to share with its ASEAN partners proven and reliable information about the Russian war of aggression.

 

Łukasz Jasina

MFA Press Spokesperson

 

Photo: Anna Strzyżak, Sejm Chancellery