The Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN (CPR) has officially handed over the CPR Chairmanship from Lao PDR to Malaysia where the Southeast nation will assume the role of the ASEAN Chair, starting on 1 January 2025.
Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, along with Ambassador Bovonethat Douangchak, Permanent Representative of Lao PDR to ASEAN, as the outgoing Chair of the CPR, and Ambassador Sarah Al Bakri Devadason, Permanent Representative of Malaysia to ASEAN, as the incoming Chair, delivered remarks commending the CPR for their hard work and unwavering commitment to ensuring the progress of ASEAN Community building and to strengthening the ASEAN Secretariat. The SecGen congratulated Lao PDR for its successful ASEAN Chairmanship in 2024 under the theme “ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience,” and reaffirmed the ASEAN Secretariat’s full support for Malaysia as ASEAN Chair in 2025 under the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability.”
He also reminded on the CPR’s indispensable role in supporting and propelling ASEAN’s milestones and addressing pressing regional challenges. Serving as the operational backbone of our organization, the CPR’s work is pivotal in facilitating consensus and building convergence on complex matters. Its input has been crucial in ensuring the seamless functioning of ASEAN’s processes and at the same time in strategically shaping the region’s response to emerging geo-political and economic challenges
Looking ahead, Dr Kao said the CPR will play an increasingly pivotal role as ASEAN moves toward adopting the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and the four Strategic Plans. The Vision 2045 and the four Strategic Plans will comprehensively address transformative challenges and opportunities, including sustainable development, digital transformation, regional security, and economic integration—each of which is essential to maintaining and strengthening ASEAN’s relevance and dynamism in a rapidly evolving global landscape.
