ASEAN and the world

Experts and scientists assessed achievements and limitations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as well as its future prospects at a workshop in Hanoi on September 22nd.

Economic leaders from Asia and Europe nations have gathered for the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Seoul, the Republic of Korea, to discuss ways to cope with rising protectionism in trade and to cooperate in the next industrial revolution.

On September 21st, Hurricane Maria lashed the Dominican Republic with heavy rain and high winds as it passed off its east coast.

(CPV) - UNICEF launched #EarlyMomentsMatter, a new campaign supported by the LEGO Foundation on September 22nd 2017 to drive increased awareness about the importance of the first 1,000 days of a child’s life and the impact of early experiences on the developing brain.

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto has announced three days of national mourning in honour of the victims, after an earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale struck southern Mexico, 123 km from Mexico city, in Puebla state.

On September 19th, a powerful earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale struck Mexico.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plans to hold a snap general election as early as next month.

Hundreds of thousands were evacuated from Kagoshima prefecture as tropical storm Talim made landfall in Japan.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi at Gandhinagar, Gujarat state, Western India, in the framework of the 12th India - Japan Annual Summit.

US President Donald Trump will hold a series of meetings with Arab leaders, including of Jordan, Palestine and Egypt, on the sidelines of the 72nd session of the U.N General Assembly meeting in New York, according to the White House.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Bredon has been chosen as the President of the World Economic Forum (WEF).

The embassies of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries in the US and Spain co-hosted celebrations for the grouping’s 50th founding anniversary on September 16th.

(CPV) - ADB has signed a loan of up to USD200 million with IndusInd Bank to provide finance to low income women borrowers in rural India. The 7-year senior loan will go toward IndusInd Bank’s microfinance activities.

Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Le Luong Minh held working sessions at the United Nations Office in Geneva and met with Swiss leaders during a working visit to Switzerland from September 11th-15th.

US President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit China in November during his first official visit to Asia.

The US Embassy in Manila, the Philippines, announced on September 15th that the US will launch a joint anti-terrorism drill with the Philippines in the Southeast Asian country and Hawaii within September.

At least 50 persons are reported killed after a boat capsized in northwestern Nigeria, many probably from the neighboring Republic of Niger, according to officials.

A fire killed at least 23 students and 2 teachers at Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah school in Kuala Lumpur on September 14th.

The 72nd session of UN General Assembly, titled “Focusing on people: Striving for peace and a decent life for all on a sustainable planet”, convened at UN Headquarters on Tuesday, September 12th.

Mexican authorities on September 11th announced that the death toll from the 8.6 magnitude earthquake had risen to 96.

On September 11th, Slovak diplomat Miroslav Lajcak was sworn in as new UN General Assembly President of the 72nd session at the UN headquarters in New York.

An earthquake measuring 8.1 on the Richter scale, followed by a Gulf coast hurricane, has killing at least 61 people In Mexico.

Hurricane Irma made landfall in northern Cuba on September 9th, causing flooding in low-lying areas of the capital Havana.

(CPV) - ADB has released the 2017 edition of Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific. Key Indicators 2017 provides the latest available economic, financial, social, and environmental statistics for the 48 regional members of ADB.

The East Asia Summit (EAS) on tackling plastic waste in the ocean took place in Bali, Indonesia on September 6th and 7th, with the participation of 85 representatives of EAS member countries.

The US House of Representatives on September 6th approved nearly USD8 billion in aid funding to the victims of hurricane Harvey.

On September 6th, Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen vowed to spend another decade in office.

The 42nd annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) opened in Canada on September 6th (local time), heating up the race for the Oscars.

Hurricane Irma, one of the strongest storms ever recorded in the Atlantic, has hit the eastern Caribbean.

The opening ceremony of the 9th BRICS summit, themed “Stronger partnership for brighter future”, opened in Xiamen International Conference Centre, China, on September 4th. Chinese President Xi Jinping chaired the summit.