ASEAN: Stronger together – The Peninsula

ASEAN: Stronger together – The Peninsula

This year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The five Founding Member States of ASEAN were Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. Subsequently, Brunei Darussalam, Viet Nam, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Cambodia joined the bloc.

The Member States of ASEAN welcome the accession of the State of Qatar to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) on the sidelines of the recently held 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The instrument of accession was signed by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed also embarked on a tour of Southeast Asia after that, with official visits to Singapore, Malaysia, and Viet Nam, during which he reaffirmed Qatar’s commitment to the region.

Qatar’s accession to the TAC attests to its strong and growing political and economic ties with ASEAN. Qatar’s total trade with ASEAN amounts to an estimated US$9 billion annually. Qatar is also a key investor in ASEAN, with investments in the energy, financial, real estate, telecommunications, agribusiness, hospitality, and medical sectors.

Prominent Qatari companies such as Ooredoo, Nebras Power, and QNB Group have established a presence