Vientiane, Feb 10 (IANS) Preparations are underway for Laos to host the next ASEAN summit in 2024, with a national-level meeting convened at the Prime Minister’s Office to discuss the arrangements, local media reported on Friday.
The meeting was chaired by Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Xinhua news agency quoted local daily Vientiane Times as saying.
A national committee, responsible for arranging accommodations and vehicles, preparing the summit venue, delegating duties to officials, preparing a budget, and deciding on the content of the summit, has reviewed the preparations to date.
Accordingly, some 14 sub-committees have been appointed to supervise preparations for the summit.
They will be responsible for arranging meeting venues, readying hotels and restaurants, putting up promotional materials around capital Vientiane, repairing roads, and ensuring communication systems.
The Ministries of Foreign Affairs; Industry and Commerce; and Information, Culture and Tourism have been entrusted to prepare the contents and agenda of the summit.
The focus of discussions will be the three pillars of the ASEAN Community, namely the ASEAN Political-Security Community, the ASEAN Economic Community, and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, when Laos will assume the chair of ASEAN in 2024, said the daily report.
Laos will assume the chairmanship from January 1 to December 31, 2024.
–IANS
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