ASEAN PLUS THREE SENIOR OFFICIALS' MEETING DISCUSSES WAY FORWARD, FURTHER COLLABORATIONS 

By Aisha Hani Nor Azmir

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, May 6 (Bernama) -- The 8th Meeting of the ASEAN Plus Three Senior Officials Responsible for Information (8th SOMRI+3) on Tuesday commenced on the second day of the 22nd ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting Responsible for Information (SOMRI) and Related Meetings, here.

The session began with opening remarks by Brunei (SOMRI Chair) and followed by Japan (Plus Three Chair), who welcomed the delegates to the meeting and hoped for fruitful and deeper cooperation through ASEAN Plus Three.

The meeting, among others, discussed relevant matters in the 27th ASEAN Plus Three Summit which was held in Vientiane, Laos, last year. 

The Malaysian delegation was led by Communications Ministry secretary-general Datuk Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa.

Also in the Malaysian delegation were Information Department (JaPen) Communications and Community Development Service Division director Muhammad Najmi Mustapha and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) International Affairs Division head Norhani Mohamad Adzhar. 

The delegation also included MCMC director II (ASEAN and Bilateral) Fatin Nabiha Ab Aziz, Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) executive editor for International News Service Mohd Shukri Ishak; RTM Policy and Research deputy director, Reza Shahriman Othman as well as other high-ranking officials from the Communications Ministry and its agencies.

The session was followed by the 5th Meeting of the ASEAN Plus Japan Senior Officials Responsible for Information, co-chaired by Brunei as SOMRI Chair and Japan.

Japan at the meeting reiterated the commitment to supporting ASEAN’s development by enhancing connectivity, centrality, and unity through continued cooperation in information and media, including capacity building, co-productions, and strategic partnerships under the ASEAN Strategic Plan for Information and Media and ASEAN Plus Three framework.

Japan's Director-General for International Affairs, Global Strategy Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Nomura Eigo also expressed hope to further strengthen cooperation between both sides including in information and broadcasting sector. 

Meanwhile, Singapore as the country coordinator for Japan updated the meeting on the status of past and ongoing cooperations as well as proposed future cooperations between ASEAN Member States and Japan in the field of information and media.

Related documents from the SOMRI-level meeting will be presented at the ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information (AMRI) meeting.

The two-day SOMRI ended today. AMRI meeting will begin tomorrow with the attendance of ASEAN ministers responsible for information.

The Malaysian delegation to AMRI will be led by Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching.

Themed “MAJU-Media Advancing Joint Understanding: Transforming Media’s Role in Advancing Cooperation and Mutual Understanding in ASEAN,” the SOMRI meeting aims to strengthen regional cooperation in broadcasting, media, and digital content, while supporting initiatives that foster ASEAN identity and regional integration.

-- BERNAMA