Thailand to Host the Next ACD Summit in 2015

(17/10/2012)

Thailand will host the next Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) Summit in 2015, coinciding with the arrival of the ASEAN Community, a new regional integration. In the same year, Thailand will also hold the 14th ACD Ministerial Meeting, which is a forum of ACD foreign ministers. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra announced Thailand’s readiness to host the next ACD summit during her visit to Kuwait on 15-17 October 2012 for the first ACD summit, a gathering of ACD leaders. Thailand also proposed that ACD summits be held once every few years. It also proposed that ACD consider setting up a permanent Secretariat to ensure continuity in the ACD process and provide an efficient communication channel for ACD member countries. Prime Minister Yingluck stated that the issue should be discussed further at the next ministerial meeting in 2013. Both the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul announced that Thailand, as ACD coordinator, would host annual consultations of the ACD Troika to enable more effective follow-up and forward planning. The Troika consists of the current chair, future chair, and past chair of ACD. At the ACD’s first summit, Prime Minister Yingluck touched on three major issues: enhanced connectivity, food security, and energy security. She said that enhanced connectivity across the Asian region and beyond would promote greater trade and investment within Asia and other regions. Connectivity, in terms of better transport and infrastructure networks, supported by similar regulations on cross-border transport, will promote better flows for trade and investment. Building on the Trans-Asian Highway and the Trans-Siberian railway, connectivity can help integrate this diverse region. Pan-Asian connectivity can create a “New Silk Route” for Asia that can bring about greater prosperity, as well. The Prime Minister stressed that connectivity must also include greater links between peoples and sharing of ideas through cooperation and mutual respect. This will not only help promote respect for diversity but also support existing ACD cooperation in the 20 areas of shared interest, including finance, tourism, and human resources development. She proposed that ACD encourage ministers and officials to come up with a “Blueprint for ACD Regional Connectivity.” This should include assessment of the current state of the region’s connectivity, highlighting missing links that need investment and provide practical recommendations. The Prime Minister cited cooperation in food security as a strength of Asia. As a major food producer, Thailand has introduced the “Kitchen to the World” strategy to help support food security. It is also seeking partners in the ACD and beyond to help produce to export food and agricultural products, including halal food, to the world. She also cited energy security as another area where the Asian region has great strength, saying that it is closely linked to food security. An affordable and stable energy supply has an impact on all stages of food production, from growing to post-harvest management to logistics. Therefore, energy security is vital to affordable food supplies for all. She pointed out that ACD needs to promote greater dialogue on the issue of food and energy security. Such a dialogue could also focus on finding supplementary energy to support sustainable development.