President Thein Sein highlighted seven points, giving priority to establishment of an ASEAN Community as well as improving human rights as Myanmar assumes the chair of the ASEAN bloc of nations for 2014.
Thein Sein was giving an acceptance speech at the 23rd ASEAN Summit held in Brunei on October 9, vouching that Myanmar would continue working together with members states to create a better future for the region.
The President highlighted that Myanmar would focus on climate change, natural disaster management, security, transnational crime, food and energy security, small-and-medium enterprises and human rights issues.
He also said that priority would be given to the establishment of an ASEAN Community in accord with national objectives of each country.
Thein Sein thanked the remaining ASEAN countries for their encouragement and support for enabling Myanmar to take the role of ASEAN chairmanship.
At the summit, King Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah of Brunei, who is handing over the role of ASEAN chairmanship, said that ASEAN must demonstrate its unity and centrality to ensure peace, stability and greater prosperity in the region.
The ASEAN countries at the summit agreed on the introduction of a fair social security system, nurturing a new generation of ASEAN youths, ending violence against women and children and providing assistance for disaster prevention.
President Thein Sein finally pledged to try his best to smoothly hand over the alternate chairmanship to Malaysia in 2015.
