PHNOM PENH: 11 meetings in three days. That’s Prime Minister Hun Sen’s schedule this week as he attends a string of events on the agendas for the 38th and 39th ASEAN summits. The last day, Thursday, will see the Prime Minister receiving the ASEAN chairmanship gavel from outgoing chairman Brunei, although Cambodia’s official chairmanship begins only in January.

The 38th and 39th ASEAN summits both being held in tandem between Tuesday and Thursday. On Thursday, the Prime Minister will receive the ASEAN chairmanship gavel from Brunei’s Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah. Cambodia will lead ASEAN throughout 2022. It will be the kingdom’s third outing as ASEAN chair after 2002 and 2012. Foreign Ministry spokesman, Koy Kuong, has told EAC News that although Cambodia will receive the ASEAN gavel on Thursday, Brunei will remain in charge until the end of the year.

The Prime Minister is delivering remarks to a total of 11 summit events this week, covering a range of topics including the building of the ASEAN Community, exchanging views on regional and international issues, and the bloc’s response to Covid-19. The 38th and 39th ASEAN Summits are being held under the theme "We Care, We Prepare, We are Moving Forward". They’re being attended by ever ASEAN head of state, except Myanmar.

ASEAN leaders have already agreed to promote multilateralism, which includes the need to maintain unity, coherence and resilience, the peaceful settlement of disputes, strengthening ASEAN centrality, reaffirming the ASEAN Indo-Pacific Perspective and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.