ASEAN and the world

A huge fire has engulfed Paris’s Notre-Dame, the world-famous, 850-year-old cathedral, damaging much of the structure and causing its iconic spire to fall on April 15th.

(CPV) - On April 14th 2019, 200 Indonesian citizens in Hanoi and its surrounding areas have exercised their right to vote for the 2019 Indonesian general election at the polling station in the Indonesian Embassy, 50 Ngo Quyen, Hanoi.

A business cooperation forum was held in the western state of Jalisco, the second biggest economic centre of Mexico, on April 11th and 12th to foster its multifaceted relations with ASEAN countries, particularly in trade, investment, education and tourism.

(CPV) - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed a 5-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) on April 12th 2019 to accelerate progress towards sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific.

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)’s leader Kim Jong-un has been re-elected as Chairman of the State Affairs Commission, the state's highest decision-making body, the state media KCNA reported on April 12th.

The Siam Commercial Bank’s (SCB) latest review of the Thai economy reveals a healthy expansion rate despite a decrease in growth due to the global economy, trade war between the United States and China, and uncertainty among private companies on the formation of new government.

The 21st annual summit between the European Union and China took place on April 9th in Brussels.

President of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Moon Jae-in on April 10th began a visit to the United States (US) for a summit with President Donald Trump.

US President Donald Trump has named Mr. James Murray as the new Director of the US Secret Service (USSS), replacing Mr. Randolph Alles, the White House said.

Singapore has continued to dominate the list of the 15 leading maritime capitals and cities of the world in 2019.

The 20th ASEAN-China Joint Cooperation Committee (ACJCC) Meeting took place in Jakarta, Indonesia on April 9th.

Singapore and Malaysia's leaders on April 9th vowed to cooperate to solve disputes after tensions between the neighbours over airspace and maritime boundaries.

(CPV) - Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) economy is expected to improve despite a major earthquake in 2018 according to a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) report.

Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Kang Kyung-wha on April 8 requested the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to maintain its support for the country’s summit with the bloc’s member countries slated for November.

Customs cooperation and healthy financial infrastructure remain the top challenges for ASEAN in its efforts to strengthen economic integration and redistribute economic wealth, reported The Nation – an English-language daily newspaper based in Bangkok, Thailand – on April 8th.

Thailand’s Transport Ministry is planning to open a new rail route to link Sa Kaeo province, about 200 km east of Bangkok, with Cambodia to facilitate cross-border trade, and boost tourism around the eastern border of the country.

Kevin K. McAleenan, the Commissioner of United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), will become the acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the resignation of Kirstjen Nielsen.

Malaysia and Singapore have reached an agreement on settling an airspace dispute after several months of negotiations.

(CPV) - Sri Lanka’s economic growth is projected to pick up to 3.6% in 2019 and further to 3.8% in 2020 from 3.2% in 2018, a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) report says.

The Republic of Korea (RoK)’s government on April 3rd announced the country will open to the public three hiking trails leading to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), called “DMZ Peace Trails”, separating the two Koreas.

Former Foreign Minister George Vella has been appointed as Malta’s 10th President, taking over from his former Cabinet colleague Marie-Lousie Coleiro Preca.

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that the fifteenth round of Russian-Japanese strategic dialogue at the level of first Deputy Foreign Ministers was held in Tokyo, Japan, on April 2nd.

China’s government has decided to appoint Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou, the country's top Asian affairs official, as ambassador to Japan.

(CPV) - Growth remains strong across most of developing Asia but is set to moderate this year and next year against the backdrop of slowing global demand and persistent trade tensions, according to a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) report.

An earthquake measuring 4.5 on the Richter scale struck Kulawi district in Indonesia’s Central Sulawesi province on April 3rd.

(CPV) - One in four health care facilities around the world lacks basic water services, impacting over 2 billion people, according to a new report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (JMP).

(CPV) - Nepal’s economy is anticipated to grow at 6.2% in fiscal year (FY) 2019 and 6.3% in FY2020, says the latest Asian Development Bank (ADB) Nepal Macroeconomic Update.

The Cuban National Cultural Heritage Council and Finca Vigia Foundation of the United States have inaugurated a restoration center to preserve the work of Ernest Hemingway in Havana, Cuba.

Jang Ha-sung, former RoK Presidential Policy Chief, is scheduled to arrive in Beijing this week to take the post of the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s Ambassador to China.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga on April 1st announced that the name of its new imperial era, set to begin on May 1st, will be "Reiwa".