Ambassador Joselito A. Jimeno convened the first meeting of the ASEAN Heads of Mission (HOMs) with accreditation in Switzerland on 15 February 2017. Ambassadors from the Embassies of Malaysia and Vietnam in Berne and Laos and Myanmar in Geneva attended the inaugural meeting. The Chargė d’Affaires of Thailand and the members of the ASEAN Working Group were also present at the meeting. 

ASEAN HOMs and Working Group meeting in Berne

During the meeting, Ambassador Jimeno discussed the proposed activities in relation to the visit to Switzerland of the ASEAN Secretary General. He also briefed the meeting on the Philippine chairmanship of ASEAN, including the priorities of the Philippine chairmanship and the activities that will be undertaken during the chairmanship year. The meeting also discussed the steps forward in formally constituting the ASEAN Committee in Berne (ACB).

The meeting was followed by lunch during which Ambassador Johannes Matyassy, Head of the Asia and Pacific Division of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, briefed the ASEAN Ambassadors on Switzerland’s engagement in the region and its Plan of Action as ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partner. The briefing was followed by a lively interaction between the ASEAN and Swiss sides. 

Ambassador Matyassy briefing the ASEAN Ambassadors

The meeting was the first time that the ASEAN Ambassadors got to have an official meeting as a group with the Head of the Asia Pacific Division. It was an opportune occasion for the ambassadors to also discuss with the Swiss Foreign Ministry official the priority areas of their respective countries for possible bilateral cooperation. END