The event was organized by the Polish Parliament in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Agency for Academic Exchange, and the Polish Institute of International Affairs, under the patronage of the President of the Chamber of Representatives, Włodzimierz Czarzasty.
Present at the event were the Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski, the Deputy Grzegorz Napieralski – President of the Polish-ASEAN parliamentary group, the Vietnamese Ambassador to Poland Ha Hoang Hai – rotating president of the ASEAN committee in Poland, and over 300 guests, including parliamentarians, representatives from the Polish government, ambassadors, chargés d’affaires, diplomatic staff from ASEAN countries, researchers, businesses, and local journalists.
From the Vietnamese side, a delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led by Mr. Le Dinh Tinh, Director of the Department of Foreign Policy, was present at the event.
In his opening speech, the Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski emphasized the growing importance of cooperation between Poland, the EU, and ASEAN – a factor contributing to strengthening strategic resilience in the face of global security and economic challenges.
Mr. Sikorski stated that Poland recognizes similarities in values and objectives with ASEAN countries and values ASEAN in its foreign policy. Consequently, Poland will soon join the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) to expand its network of global partnerships, which will benefit both parties; and it hopes to become, and potentially becomes, a gateway for ASEAN to the EU.
During the opening session, the Vietnamese Ambassador to Poland Ha Hoang Hai highlighted the importance of dialogue and cooperation between Europe and Asia, especially between Poland and ASEAN. The Ambassador also welcomed the Conference as an opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences, promote nation-building, improve understanding between regions, and contribute to the consolidation of lasting peace and stability in the world.
Emphasizing the role and position of ASEAN on the international stage today as a positive factor in promoting stability, prosperity, and sustainable development in the region and the world, Ambassador Ha Hoang Hai recognized the positive progress made recently in ASEAN-EU and ASEAN-Poland relations.
On this occasion, the Ambassador expressed support for Poland’s accession to the TAC to facilitate political dialogue, promote economic cooperation, open up new collaboration prospects; and also expressed confidence that the workshop’s results would provide valuable guidance and foster a common vision to build a strong partnership between Poland and ASEAN.
After the opening session, the conference revolved around three thematic sessions: security challenges; economic cooperation in times of global instability; and the role of university networks as tools for building lasting relationships between nations. Ambassador Ha Hoang Hai was the speaker in the third session.
The seminar provided a forum for exchanging views on Poland’s relations with ASEAN countries and current geopolitical challenges in the world, confirming Poland’s position regarding ASEAN as a significant orientation of its foreign policy, both bilaterally and multilaterally.
