MOSCOW, 1 September (BelTA) – On the sidelines of the SCO summit in Tianjin, Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) Bakytzhan Sagintayev held a working meeting with Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Kao Kim Hourn, the EEC press service told BelTA.
Bakytzhan Sagintayev noted that for the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) interaction with ASEAN is a strategic area. “The trade turnover between the EAEU states and ASEAN countries increased by 21.8% in 2024 compared to 2018 and reached $27.2 billion, which demonstrates the practical efficiency of cooperation,” he said.
The parties discussed a draft cooperation program between the EEC and ASEAN for 2026-2030. They plan to expand sectoral interaction. Special attention will be paid to dialogue on sustainable development, digitalization, innovation, and technological advancement. Among the mid-term initiatives, the parties considered the possibility of granting the EAEU the status of an ASEAN dialogue partner.
“The EAEU sees the prospect of transitioning to a qualitatively new level of partnership with ASEAN. In this regard, we propose to give our relations a new status within the existing ASEAN mechanisms. This goal has received the unanimous support of all countries of the Eurasian G5 and is enshrined in our key strategic documents,” Bakytzhan Sagintayev said.
Following the meeting, it was noted that the further alignment of efforts between the EAEU and ASEAN will be an important factor in strengthening mutual trust and economic growth of the member states.
The Memorandum of Understanding between the EEC and ASEAN was signed in 2018. Bilateral cooperation with ASEAN countries is developing. Memorandums of cooperation have been signed with Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar. A free trade agreement has been signed with Vietnam. Work is underway to formalize cooperation with Laos, the Philippines, and Malaysia. An agreement on a free trade zone with Indonesia is planned to be signed before the end of 2025.
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