DOHA: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) marks its 56th anniversary under the presidency of the Republic of Indonesia. The celebrations come under the theme 'ASEAN Day 56, Epicentrum of Growth'.
In a statement, the regional intergovernmental organization said the slogan of this year's celebrations comes in harmony with the growth prospects not only for the bloc's member states but also for its trusted external partners, such as the State of Qatar, which signed the instrument of accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) in 2022.
Over the past few years, Qatar-ASEAN relations have seen steady growth with various Qatari investments in energy, finance, real estate, communications, agribusiness, hospitality, and medicine. This growth culminated in the inauguration of Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) premises in the Asia-Pacific region in Singapore.
Some prominent Qatari firms including Ooredoo, Nebras Power QPSC, and Qatar National Bank (QNB) Group were active in Indonesia.
ASEAN member states' investments in Qatar have also increased steadily, with notable projects in the sectors of oil and gas, hospitality, information technology, communications, construction, and retail.
Home to 661 million people, 60 percent of whom are under the age of 35, ASEAN has a current GDP of about US$3 trillion, which is expected to double over the next two decades, to make the 10-member bloc the fourth largest economy among all regional blocs.
Some ASEAN member states play a vital role in supporting food security efforts in the State of Qatar as part of its National Vision 2030.
ASEAN was initially founded by Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand on Aug 8, 1967, in Bangkok, Thailand. Later on, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam joined the bloc.
