Dato Lim Jock Hoi assumes office as new Secretary-General of ASEAN

5-Jan-2018

Source:  ASEAN Secretariat News

Dato Lim Jock Hoi assumes office as new Secretary-General of ASEAN

JAKARTA, 5 January 2018  – The ASEAN Secretariat officiated the transfer of office of the 14th Secretary-General of ASEAN at a handover ceremony held this morning in Jakarta.  Dato Lim Jock Hoi from Brunei Darussalam succeeded outgoing Secretary-General Le Luong Minh and will serve for the period of 2018-2022.

The transfer of office was witnessed by Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, Permanent Representatives of ASEAN, senior government officials of Indonesia, the diplomatic community and representatives from the community.

Secretary-General Dato Lim Jock Hoi stated that “ASEAN’s progress over the years has been outstanding.” With the new and emerging challenges, SG Dato Lim remarked that “the immediate tasks for ASEAN would be to prepare the people of ASEAN for the new technological age, and to ensure the region advances towards inclusive growth and sustainable development.” He added that it is also important for the ASEAN Secretariat “to be more proactive and savvy in order to serve ASEAN Member States” and improve its capability to prepare member states on issues that will affect ASEAN the most. He took the opportunity to thank former SG Minh for his valuable contribution as Secretary-General of ASEAN from 2013 to 2017.

Before his appointment as Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dato’ Lim Jock Hoi was a Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Brunei Darussalam.

Meanwhile, FM Marsudi welcomed and congratulated SG Dato Lim for his appointment. In her statement, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi remarked that “Dato Lim’s vast experience, wisdom and leadership can continue to elevate the ASEAN Secretariat to a new height.” Further, she expressed “sincere appreciation and gratitude” to former SG Minh for “his hard work and dedication” throughout his tenure. Reflecting on ASEAN, Minister Marsudi stated that “the global role of ASEAN must be strengthened.” She said such role “requires the unity of ASEAN, with its unity, the centrality of ASEAN can be maintained.”

Former Secretary-General Minh said that “while accolades on ASEAN achievements and future directions keep coming,” one challenge that ASEAN faces is “to bring ASEAN closer to the hearts of its people. By doing so, we would greatly enhance our feeling of togetherness, a key foundation of the success of the ASEAN project.”

Following the ceremony, SG Lim received Papilionanda ASEAN Golden Jubilee, a special hybrid of orchid that symbolises the prosperity and unity of ASEAN produced by Singapore, Chair of ASEAN for 2018, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of ASEAN.

On the same day, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, SG Lim Jock Hoi, Governor of Jakarta, Anies Baswedan, and participants of the ceremony attended the groundbreaking ceremony to mark the construction of the new ASEAN Secretariat building which is being constructed by the Government of Indonesia.

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