(KPL) The 7th Ad-Hoc Working Group Meeting on the Development of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Post-2025 Strategic Plan was held on September 24, 2024, in Vientiane, Lao PDR, with representatives from ASEAN member states and Timor Leste in attendance.

The meeting was co-chaired by Mr. Khamphou Phiasackha, Deputy Director General of the Department of Planning and International Cooperation of the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism and Laos’ Senior Official for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, alongside Mrs. Christina Yeo Keo Yin, Undersecretary for International Relations (Culture) from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture of Malaysia.

The meeting was also attended by ASEAN Deputy Secretary General, and delegates from ASEAN member states.

Mr. Khamphou highlighted that the meeting aimed to advance the development of the ASCC Post-2025 Strategic Plan, with a focus on completing outstanding tasks such as promoting and protecting human rights and formulating ASEAN’s perspectives on the Indo-Pacific. The group also re-evaluated 62 indicators recommended by ASEAN member states.

The meeting concluded with consensus on the strategic plan's progress. The draft ASCC Post-2025 Strategic Plan is expected to be submitted to the High-Level Task Force on the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 (HLTF-ACV) in early November 2024.

The 8th Ad-Hoc Working Group Meeting on the Development of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Post-2025 Strategic Plan is scheduled to take place in Melaka, Malaysia, to finalize this critical document.

KPL