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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia’s ASEAN accession request unanimously approved

Belgrade, 12 July 2023

The government of the Republic of Serbia announced that at the 56^th plenary meeting of foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta, which ended today, the member states of this organisation (Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Brunei Darussalam and Myanmar) unanimously approved Serbia’s accession request to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.

Established in 1976, the Treaty aims to create political stability and security in Southeast Asia by ensuring the peaceful resolution of disputes between countries.

Access to this Treaty opens opportunities for the Republic of Serbia for closer dialogue, cooperation and inclusion in various ASEAN networks and platforms.

At the same time, the accession to this Treaty will additionally contribute to the promotion of essential cooperation in the economic and socio-cultural areas of Serbia with this bloc.

The most important areas of ASEAN cooperation with the countries that signed the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia are, among others, economic cooperation, education and the development of people-to-people contacts, science, technology and innovation and sustainable development, while with certain ASEAN countries, it develops cooperation and in other specific areas of cooperation.

This includes participation in ASEAN meetings, dialogues and initiatives, which can contribute to diplomatic, economic and cultural exchanges.

By committing to the principles set forth in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, such as respect for the independence, sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity and national identity of all peoples, non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries and peaceful settlement of disputes, the Republic of Serbia will through another legal binding mechanism to prove its fundamental commitment to peace, stability, international law and multilateralism.

Serbia submitted a formal request for accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia in 2013.

Through diplomatic efforts, the unequivocal support of all 10 ASEAN member states for Serbia’s accession to this Treaty was secured.

Among the signatory countries of the Treaty are all the great powers, numerous countries of Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America (PR China 2003, India 2003, Japan 2004, Pakistan 2004, Russian Federation 2004, France 2006, USA 2009, Canada 2009, Turkey 2010, EU 2012, UK 2012).

Germany (2019), as well as the Republic of South Africa, Colombia and Cuba (2020), Denmark, Greece, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates and Ukraine (2022) have joined the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia in recent years.

In 2022, Serbia achieved a total exchange of $710 million with the ten members of ASEAN.

There is every possibility that the growth trend in trade exchange with ASEAN member states will dynamically continue in the coming years.

By 2030, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is expected to become the world’s fourth largest economy.