Amb. Elizabeth P. Buensuceso (right) receives the CPR gavel from Amb. Latsamy Keomany of Laos (left) as ASEAN Secretary-General Le Luong Minh looks on.

Amb. Elizabeth P. Buensuceso, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to ASEAN, officially received the chairmanship of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN (CPR) for 2017 during ceremonies at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta on 1 December 2016, describing the “inherited responsibility with a sense of gravity” as it falls during the golden anniversary of ASEAN.

“It is with trepidation and humility that I accept the responsibility of chairing this important body. Trepidation because the CPR is no ordinary ASEAN body and this is no ordinary chairmanship. Humility because I have the fine examples behind me, of Myanmar, Malaysia and Laos, who each has delivered an outstanding set of accomplishments during their respective chairmanships,” Ambassador Buensuceso emphasized after accepting the CPR chairmanship from Amb. Latsamy Keomany, Permanent Representative of Laos to ASEAN. 

Ambassador Buensuceso (eight from left) with members of the CPR, ASEAN Secretary-General Le Luong Minh (seventh from left), ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General AKP Mochtan (left) and ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General Vongthep Arthakaivalvatee (right).

The ceremony was witnessed by ASEAN Secretary-General Le Luong Minh, members of the CPR and officials of the ASEAN Secretariat.

 Ambassador Buensuceso will also assume the chairmanship of the ASEAN Connectivity Coordinating Committee (ACCC), ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation (AIPR) Governing Council, ASEAN-China Center (ACC) Joint Council and the East Asia Summit (EAS) Ambassadors’ Meeting in Jakarta starting 1 January 2017.

In her acceptance speech, Ambassador Buensuceso also described the work plan of the CPR in 2017, which coincides with the 50^th anniversary of ASEAN, unveiling the following as some of the major priorities of the CPR and vowing to continue until their completion the tasks given to the CPR by the ASEAN Senior Officials, the Ministers, and the Leaders:

• completion of tasks related to the strengthening if the ASEAN Secretariat;
• updating of the ASEAN Charter;
• format of ASEAN Summits and Related Summits and ASEAN Ministerial Meetings and Post-Ministerial Conferences;
• new ASEAN Plus Three work plan;
• new ASEAN-EU comprehensive plan of action;
• implementation plan of the ASEAN-Japan Vision Statement;
• terms of reference of the East Asia Summit (EAS) Ambassadors’ Meeting in Jakarta;
• implementing the Master Plan of ASEAN Connectivity 2025;
• looping in the ASEAN Committees in Third Countries (ACTCs) and possibly ASEAN committees in ASEAN Member States;
• preparation/completion of Leaders’ and Ministers’ statements, declarations and joint communiques; and
• completion of the ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) work plan.

“But these are merely tasks,” Ambassador Buensuceso emphasized. “We, the CPR, need to see the bigger picture, the vision or dream of a better ASEAN for our peoples. A shared vision will put the wind in our wings to enable us to contribute to making the lives of our people a little better.”  She exhorted the CPR and the ASEAN Secretariat to work as a team to make this dream work.

She also explained the following thematic priorities of the Philippine chairmanship of ASEAN in 2017 during the golden anniversary of ASEAN, based on the theme “Partnering for Change, Engaging the World”:

• People-oriented, people-centered ASEAN;
• Peace and stability in the region;
• Maritime security and cooperation;
• Inclusive, innovation-led growth;
• ASEAN’s resiliency; and
• ASEAN: a model of regionalism, a global player.

Ambassador Buensuceso elaborated that “each of these thematic priorities will be substantiated by outcome documents or commemorative activities that will not only raise the level of awareness of our peoples but will also allow them to share the dream of a united ASEAN under a regime of peace and stability, enjoying equally the fruits of economic prosperity and caring for one another in times of peace and in times of calamity or conflict.”

END