By Linda Khoo
LANGKAWI, Jan 17 (Bernama) -- Foreign Ministers from Southeast Asia have started arriving in Langkawi for the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat (AMM), which is set to convene on Saturday (Jan 18).
Malaysia’s Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, is expected to arrive on Friday afternoon followed by other foreign ministers.
The Philippines’ Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo, arrived here on Thursday.
Held at the Langkawi International Convention Centre, the AMM Retreat will mark the first major meeting under Malaysia’s chairmanship of ASEAN in 2025, setting the stage for a busy and significant year ahead.
The two-day AMM Retreat will be attended by foreign ministers and representatives of the 10 ASEAN member states.
Timor-Leste's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito dos Santos Freitas, will attend as an observer.
The ministers are expected to exchange views on ASEAN’s external relations and recent regional and international developments of common interest and concern.
On Friday, all Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) Leaders of ASEAN and Timor-Leste will attend the welcome dinner hosted by Secretary-General of the Foreign Ministry and Malaysia's ASEAN SOM Leader, Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin.
The ASEAN SOM, scheduled for Saturday, will bring together leaders and representatives of all ASEAN member states and the ASEAN Secretariat to discuss a wide array of issues.
Early Friday, the Coordinator of the International Media Centre (IMC), Zamshari Shaharan, held a media briefing focusing on arrangements for reporters, photographers, and cameramen during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat, and the facilities available at the IMC.
Meanwhile, Amran is scheduled to hold a press conference on the upcoming SOM on Friday afternoon.
Over 200 delegates from the 10 ASEAN member states and observer state Timor-Leste are expected at the retreat.
Malaysia officially assumed the chairmanship of the ASEAN 2025 on January 1, the fifth time it has led the regional grouping since its establishment in 1967.
Over 300 key meetings and programmes are scheduled to take place across the country throughout the year.
Malaysia has previously chaired ASEAN in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015.
-- BERNAMA
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