EXERCISE 2

1. What does the acronym for AMMSWD stand for?

             A. ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Social, Welfare and Development.

             B. ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Social, Women and Development.

             C. ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Society, Welfare and Development.

             D. ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Society, Women and Development.

  

2. The Lepa-Lepa (boat) competition is one of the festivals held in _____________.

A. Malaysia

            B. Myanmar

            C. Laos

            D. Brunei

     

3 The type of political system practised by Lao PDR is ______________.

A.   Parliamentary Democracy

B.   Presidential

C.   Socialist

D.   Monarchy

  

answer here

ASEAN readies to provide relief to the Philippines; offers assistance to Viet Nam

on Tuesday, 12 November 2013. Posted in 2013, ASEAN Secretariat News

JAKARTA, 12 November 2013 ­ The ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre) together with the ASEAN Secretariat, ASEAN Committee of Permanent Representatives, ASEAN Defence Attaches, and ASEAN Dialogue Partners today convenes at the AHA Centre to discuss collaborative efforts in response to typhoon Haiyan emergencies in the Philippines and situation in Viet Nam.

"Within this week, ASEAN aims to distribute relief items including generators, mobile storage, and ASEAN Family Kits urgently needed to Tacloban.  We are focusing on the most desperately needed food and clean water. The AHA Centre has stockpile ready to go. Local procurement is also underway. A key impediment is logistics, as the airport was destroyed," stated ASEAN Secretary-General and ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance Coordinator H.E. Le Luong Minh.  Earlier, Secretary-General Minh has offered assistance to the Government of the Philippines in response to the devastation brought about by Haiyan.

“Knowing the impacts of the typhoon, this is the time for ASEAN to work together in the spirit of ASEAN's solidarity in mobilising assets and resources to provide our support to the government and people of the Philippines in this critical moment,” Said Faisal, the Executive Director of AHA Centre explained. “The meeting today is a follow up of our early response to and assessment activities in the Philippines. After receiving the information from the field and the Government of the Philippines, we are moving forward with providing emergency assistance,” said Faisal.

AHA Centre has been closely monitoring the movement of the typhoon and put a field team on the ground before the typhoon landed on 8 November. Assessment and additional teams have been on the ground to determine the type of assistance that can be mobilised through the ASEAN’s channel.

Meanwhile, after leaving a trail of destruction in the Philippines, typhoon Haiyan hit Viet Nam on 10 November with heavy rains and strong wind and ASEAN is preparing to expand its relief operations to cover both countries. The Secretary-General has written to Vietnamese Foreign Minister H. E. Pham Binh Minh to convey his sympathy to the Vietnamese people and to offer ASEAN’s support.

“We are one community and ASEAN expresses its solidarity with the Vietnamese people in these times of calamity,” ASEAN Secretary-General told the Minister. “ASEAN stands ready to assist Viet Nam if requested, and will continue to work closely with the AHA Centre to facilitate ASEAN’s response to assist Viet Nam in the ongoing response to the disaster,” Secretary-General Minh added.

Typhoon Haiyan made its landfall in Viet Nam on Sunday which prompted the Government to issue public alerts in provinces expected to be hit by the typhoon. Information from the AHA Centre indicated that on Saturday the Government of Viet Nam evacuated over 800,000 people from Thanh Hoa to Phu Yen provinces. The Central Committee for Flood and Storm Control reported two (2) deaths and more than 120 houses damaged in Qung Ninh province. Assessment is still ongoing and the number of casualties and loss will be known later.

"The Government of Viet Nam should be applauded for having successfully protected its people from what could have been a much greater pain.  Over 800,000 citizens have been evacuated," added Secretary-General Minh. "Further, even while facing their own situation, Viet Nam has pledged its support to its fellow ASEAN Member State, the Philippines," he said.

The AHA Centre conducts its day-to-day operations in Jakarta, Indonesia. As mandated by the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response, the Centre serves as the regional hub for disaster risk monitoring and analysis, and a coordination engine to ensure ASEAN’s fast and collective response to disasters within the region.

ASEAN Charter

ASEAN Charter : www.asean.org

The ASEAN Charter serves as a firm foundation in achieving the ASEAN Community by providing legal status and institutional framework for ASEAN. It also codifies ASEAN norms, rules and values; sets clear targets for ASEAN; and presents accountability and compliance.

The ASEAN Charter entered into force on 15 December 2008. A gathering of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers was held at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta to mark this very historic occasion for ASEAN.

With the entry into force of the ASEAN Charter, ASEAN will henceforth operate under a new legal framework and establish a number of new organs to boost its community-building process.

In effect, the ASEAN Charter has become a legally binding agreement among the 10 ASEAN Member States. It will also be registered with the Secretariat of the United Nations, pursuant to Article 102, Paragraph 1 of the Charter of the United Nations.

The importance of the ASEAN Charter can be seen in the following contexts:

• New political commitment at the top level
• New and enhanced commitments
• New legal framework, legal personality
• New ASEAN bodies
• Two new openly-recruited DSGs
• More ASEAN meetings
• More roles of ASEAN Foreign Ministers
• New and enhanced role of the Secretary-General of ASEAN
• Other new initiatives and changes

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13th ASEAN Summit, Singapore, 2007

Charter of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Singapore, 20 November 20077

Singapore Declaration on the ASEAN Charter, Singapore, 20 November 2007

* taken from ASEAN Community FB fan page 

The Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore (SCMS) is the marquee running event of Singapore's sporting calendar. Every first Sunday of December, thousands of participants from all walks of life run past some of Singapore's iconic landmarks such as the Esplanade and Sentosa. Full Marathon runners also get to soak up the festive atmosphere as they run under the twinkling lights of Orchard Road.
In 2012, SCMS retained its Gold Label status by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), placing it among the company of the world's elite races such as the New York City Marathon and the London Marathon. As the highlight of Singapore's running calendar, the Marathon helped grow the running culture in Singapore. It began with just 6,000 runners in 2002, reaching a peak of 65,000 runners in 2011. In 2012, the theme – "Run for a Reason" – encouraged all runners to submit their individual reasons for taking part in the Marathon.
SCMS 2013 will feature three different start points and routes for the Full Marathon, Half Marathon and 10km. The Kids Dash also offers aspiring little runners the chance to experience the Marathon, while the Ekiden promises to foster both teamwork and strategic planning among a team of six runners completing the Full Marathon in a relay format.

Courtesy of Standard Chartered.
By Azri Admin Sg

ASEAN MEMBER STATES

Sumber : www.asean.org 

Brunei Darussalam

Head of State : His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah

Capital : Bandar Seri Begawan

Language(s) : Malay, English

Currency : B$ (Brunei Dollar)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade of Brunei Darussalam Website: www.mfa.gov.bn

Cambodia

Head of State : His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni

Head of Government : Prime Minister Hun Sen

Capital : Phnom Penh

Language : Khmer

Currency : Riel

Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation of Cambodia Website: www.mfaic.gov.kh

Indonesia

Head of State : President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

Capital : Jakarta

Language : Indonesian

Currency : Rupiah

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia Website: www.kemlu.go.id

Lao PDR

Head of State : President Choummaly Sayasone

Head of Government : Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong

Capital : Vientiane

Language : Lao

Currency : Kip

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lao PDR Website: www.mofa.gov.la

Malaysia

Head of Government : The Honourable Dato' Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak

Capital : Kuala Lumpur

Language(s) : Malay, English, Chinese, Tamil

Currency : Ringgit

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia Website: www.kln.gov.my

ASEAN-Malaysia National Secretariat Website: www.kln.gov.my/myasean

Myanmar

Head of State : President Thein Sein

Capital : Nay Pyi Taw

Language : Myanmar

Currency : Kyat

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar Website: www.mofa.gov.mm

Philippines

Head of State : President Benigno S. Aquino III

Capital : Manila

Language(s) : Filipino, English, Spanish

Currency : Peso

Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines Website: www.dfa.gov.ph

Singapore

Head of State : President Tony Tan Keng Yam

Head of Government : Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong

Capital : Singapore

Language(s) : English, Malay, Mandarin, Tamil

Currency : S$ (Singapore Dollar)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore Website: www.mfa.gov.sg

Thailand

Head of State : His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej

Head of Government : Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra

Capital : Bangkok

Language : Thai

Currency : Baht

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand Website: www.mfa.go.th

Viet Nam

Head of State : President Nguyen Minh Triet

Head of Government : Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung

Capital : Ha Noi

Language : Vietnamese

Currency : Dong

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam Website: www.mofa.gov.vn