High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini attends the 21st ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok

On 13-14 October, the High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini will travel to Bangkok to attend the 21st Association of Southeast Asian Nations – European Union (ASEAN-EU) Ministerial Meeting (AEMM). Foreign Ministers from the European Union Member States and ASEAN countries, as well as the ASEAN Secretary-General will also take part. The meeting will take place at a time of increasingly close relations between the European Union and ASEAN, two leading examples of regional integration in the world. Discussions in Bangkok will primarily focus on identifying ways and means for the future upgrading and strengthening of EU-ASEAN relations, as also requested by the EU Foreign Affairs Council in its conclusions of 22 June 2015. Ahead of the visit, HR/VP Mogherini said: “Next year, our European Union and ASEAN will celebrate 40 years of our relations; 40 years during which we have come a very long way. Now is the time for an enhanced partnership between our two regions and I look forward to discussing this with the ASEAN Ministers in Bangkok later this week. There is a lot we can do together for the security, stability and prosperity of, first and foremost our people, of our regions, and also around the world.” The 21st AEMM will be hosted by Thailand as current Country Coordinator for ASEAN’s relations with the European Union. The 22nd ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting will take place in the European Union in 2018. A press conference is foreseen to take place after the Ministerial Meeting at 17h15 local time, and will be broadcast on EbS shortly afterwards.