ASEAN Sec-Gen Reaffirms Commitment To Strengthening Media Ties At Engagement Session

By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar

JAKARTA, Feb 7 (Bernama) -- ASEAN secretary-general Dr Kao Kim Hourn held the first media engagement session of 2025 at the ASEAN Headquarters on Thursday, reaffirming his commitment to strengthening ties with the media community.

The session, attended by around 20 Jakarta-based journalists, comes ahead of the ASEAN Leaders’ adoption of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and four Strategic Plans during Malaysia’s 2025 Chairmanship.

In a statement, the ASEAN Secretariat highlighted Kao’s dedication to fostering closer ties with the media to support ASEAN public diplomacy.

He also emphasised the critical role of the media in disseminating information about these initiatives and promoting a deeper understanding of ASEAN’s goals among the public.

The engagement session is significant as it precedes the adoption of key documents and frameworks that will serve as a roadmap for regional integration over the next two decades, the secretariat added.

Malaysia officially assumes the ASEAN Chairmanship  under the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability,” with over 300 key meetings and programmes scheduled throughout the year.

Malaysia previously chaired ASEAN in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015.

-- BERNAMA