JAKARTA, 2 MAY 2025 – ASEAN and Canada reaffirmed commitment to further strengthening their strategic partnership at the 13th Meeting of the ASEAN-Canada Joint Cooperation Committee held at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat today.
The meeting discussed the developments in ASEAN and in Canada and reviewed the extensive cooperation between both sides, and noted with satisfaction the substantive progress in the final year of implementation of the ASEAN-Canada Plan of Action (POA) (2021-2025). The meeting looked forward to the negotiations and adoption of a new POA (2026-2030) to succeed the current POA with the aim to further substantiate the partnership and elevate it to greater heights. The meeting further exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest and concern.
ASEAN and Canada discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation in areas such as maritime, combating transnational crimes, agriculture, food security, Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda, human rights, protection of migrant workers, disaster management, education and people-to-people exchanges. Both sides also shared the view on the importance of working together in the areas of trade and investment, digital economy, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), women economic empowerment, health, climate change, sustainability, renewable energy, infrastructure, transport and connectivity. In this regard, ASEAN encouraged Canada to collaborate with various centres of excellence in ASEAN Member States.
ASEAN and Canada looked forward to the substantial conclusion of the negotiations for the ASEAN-Canada FTA (ACAFTA) this year, which will strengthen ASEAN-Canada economic relations, connect ASEAN and Canada closer to the global value chains, and improve market access for both ASEAN and Canadian private sector.
Permanent Representative of Lao PDR to ASEAN, Sitsangkhom Sisaketh, and Ambassador of Canada to ASEAN, Victoria Singmin, co-chaired the meeting. In attendance were the Permanent Representatives to ASEAN or their representatives and their respective delegations, and representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat. Ambassador of Timor-Leste to ASEAN attended as Observer.