Against the backdrop of the 20th Anniversary of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and the upcoming 11th ASEM Summit (ASEM11) in Mongolia, the 34th ASEF Board of Governors’ Meeting was successfully held on 9-10 June 2016 in Singapore. ASEF Governors, Ambassadors and participants representing 51 ASEM partners attended this meeting.
This Board of Governors’ Meeting has a special significance for the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF). In addition to the routine agenda that involves the key aspects of ASEF’s work since its last Board of Governors’ Meeting in December 2015, the current ASEF Executive Director, Ambassador ZHANG Yan made a comprehensive summary of ASEF’s work since he took the office in November 2012.
Furthermore, as Ambassador Zhang’s 4-year term is approaching an end, the next Executive Director of ASEF was elected at this Board Meeting: the current ASEF Deputy Executive Director, Ambassador Karsten WARNECKE, has been appointed by the Board of Governors as the next ASEF Executive Director, starting his term in November this year.
According to ASEF’s legal framework, if the Executive Director is a European, the Deputy Executive Director shall be an Asian, and vice-versa.
Prior to the full Board Meeting, the ASEF Finance and Audit Committee as well as the ASEF Executive Committee convened on 7 and 8 June 2016 respectively.