Geneva (VNA)– Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) LeLuong Minh held working sessions at the United Nations Office in Geneva and metwith Swiss leaders during a working visit to Switzerland from September 11-15.

Meeting with leaders of the Geneva-based UNOffice, ASEAN Secretary-General Minh informed them about the recent developmentin Southeast Asia, including the bloc’s political and economic achievements,challenges facing the ASEAN Community and the region’s future.

He also introduced ASEAN’s commitments to theUN, especially the ASEAN-UN plan of action until 2020 with the implementationof a joint statement on the ASEAN-UN comprehensive partnership in variousfields such as political security, economy, and culture-society.

At the 36th session of the UN Human RightsCouncil, the Secretary-General stressed that human rights are an importantcontent of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025. Encouraging and protecting humanrights and fundamental rights of people are basic principles of the ASEANPolitical Security Community (APSC) Blueprint 2025 and the ASEAN Socio-CulturalCommunity Blueprint 2015.

Notably, the APSC Blueprint 2025 will promote a people-orientedand people-centred ASEAN in which all components of society, regardless ofgender, race, religion, language, or social and cultural background, areencouraged to participate in and benefit from the process of ASEAN integrationand community building, he said.

Minh added that the grouping established anASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), a regionalmechanism to promote and protect human rights and people’s basic freedom rights.

He also underlined significant outcomes inpromoting social changes in the ASEAN region, including maternal deaths per100,000 live births falling by over one-third from 371.2 in 1990 to 103.7 in2012. The rate of urban population living in slums declined from 40 percent in2000 to 31 percent in 2012.

On this occasion, a photo exhibition markingASEAN’s 50th founding anniversary was held at the UN Office in Geneva,demonstrating the bloc’s development, diversity and dynamism of the 10-memberbloc with a population of over 630 million.

During his trip, the Secretary-General made hisfirst-ever official visit to Berne capital within the framework of ASEAN’scooperation with Switzerland, one year after ASEAN granted the European nationwith the status of dialogue partner.

At his meeting with Swiss Foreign MinisterDidier Burkhalter, the two sides assessed cooperation outcomes and discussedregional and global economic and geostrategic issues. The meeting was a chanceto reiterate Switzerland and ASEAN’s commitments to enhancing bilateral ties,particularly in responding to climate change, preventing natural disaster risksand promoting sustainable development.

On this occasion, an ASEAN Committee was set upin Berne, gathering six diplomatic representative agencies of ASEAN countriesin the city.-VNA