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P R E
S S R E L E A S E
www.dfa.gov.ph
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Tel. No. 834-4000 |
SFA-AGR-713-07
10 September 2007
THE
FIRST ASEAN ANNIVERSARY(40TH) CELEBRATION
IN
NAIROBI
10
September 2007—Philippine Ambassador to Nairobi, Maria Rosario Janolo reported
to the Department of Foreign Affairs that the Philippines, as Acting Chair of
the ASEAN Diplomatic Missions in Kenya (in the absence of a Singaporean
Mission), led the other ASEAN Diplomatic Missions (Indonesia, Thailand, and
Malaysia).in organization and celebration of the first ASEAN Anniversary (40th)
to be held in Kenya. For its part, the
Vietnam
ese made a financial contribution through its Embassy in
Dar es Salaam
,
Tanzania
. The affair was held at the
Nairobi
Hilton on 9 August 2007.
Ambassador
Djismun Kasri of
Indonesia
, High Commissioner Selwyn Das of
Malaysia
, Ambassador Apichit Asatthawasi of
Thailand
, and the Philippine Ambassador welcomed the guests to the reception.
Unfortunately, Ambassador Do Manh Hung of
Vietnam
was unable to attend the affair. Around 200 guests attended the auspicious
event, which included the Papal Nuncio, the Ambassadors and High Commissioners
of Australia,
Austria
,
China
,
Colombia
, the
Czech Republic
,
Germany
,
India
,
Korea
,
Sri Lanka
, and the
United States of America
, and the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Members of the Diplomatic Community, International Organizations and friends
were also among the guests.
The program formally commenced with the playing of the ASEAN Hymn.
The Kenyan National Anthem followed. Ambassador Janolo delivered the
welcoming remarks and introduced the Guest of Honor, Mr. Kembi Gitura, Assistant
Minister of Foreign Affairs for African Affairs, who emphasized the huge
potential of relations between ASEAN and
Africa
at all levels, with reference to the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership (NAASP).
Thereafter, a short informative film on the ASEAN was shown. END
/Ferdie
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