Ambassador Toru MORIKAWA participated, via Zoom, in the Ditchley Foundation conference dedicated to the topic “Europe after Merkel: how can the EU best build on its strengths and mitigate its risks?” The conference explored how the EU will need to evolve to compete in a world of geopolitical competition and giant challenges from climate to demography and immigration. It brought together leaders from politics, business, science, technology and civil society.
Ambassador MORIKAWA’s remarks were made under the Plenary Session II about the “EU Indo-Pacific Strategy: How can the EU build its economic reach and influence in the region?” He stated that the EU should engage with the ASEAN more actively. He added that ASEAN’s tremendous economic potential has attracted many suitors, so the EU should treat ASEAN as an equal partner, and actively attract the latter’s attention. He suggested solutions such as developing people-to-people relationships at the practitioner level in full respect for diversity and seeking ways to work together and learn from one another.
Click here to download the full Speech.
Click here to download the Programme.
Click here to download the Terms of Reference.