Malaysian Secretary-General of the Foreign Ministry Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin during the press conference on Tuesday. BERNAMA/VNA Photo

KUALA LUMPUR — The ASEAN Chairmanship 2025 will extend beyond high-level meetings, encompassing a range of activities and programmes, aimed at engaging communities at the grassroots level across Malaysia, said Secretary-General of the Foreign Ministry Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Amran said that a total of 29 programmes have been specifically designed to benefit various segments of society, including rural communities; micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs); youth; women; people with disabilities; senior citizens; and children.

The programmes include a campaign to promote Malaysian-made goods, the ASEAN Plus Three Forum to empower rural women, the ASEAN Youth Summit and the special Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS), as well as initiatives tailored for school and higher education students.

He emphasised that this is a national agenda, which calls for the participation of all Malaysians and society as a whole.

Amran explained that all planned activities and programmes align with the vision of a people-centred ASEAN Community, as well as the theme for the ASEAN Chairmanship 2025 - Inclusivity and Sustainability.

He also shared that a total of 357 ASEAN-related meetings are scheduled to take place nationwide this year, including 14 high-level meetings involving heads of state and government.

Amran said the 46th ASEAN Summit is slated for mid-year, alongside the ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)-China Summit, while the 47th ASEAN Summit will be held towards the year’s end.

In Langkawi, Malaysia will host 50 ASEAN meetings, Penang will hold 37, and other states will also play host. These events require extensive logistical preparations.

Malaysia aims to bring ASEAN closer to the grassroots level, allowing ASEAN to appreciate Malaysia’s rich diversity, and providing opportunities for local communities to gain better awareness of ASEAN and benefit from business and tourism prospects.

The ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat in Langkawi, set to begin on January 18, will mark the official launch of Malaysia's ASEAN Chairmanship 2025, with the participation of over 200 foreign delegations. — VNA/VNS