Single Asean community faces many challenges: Hun Sen

News Desk  Rasmei Kampuchea Daily Publication Date : 26-10-2012

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday said that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) still faces many challenges in forging a single community and destiny for the 600 million people of Southeast Asia. "It's very difficult and is taking a long time to coordinate and solve problems in building a people-centred community," he told at a meeting of the Asean Sociocultural Community Council. Hun Sen noted that Southeast Asia had various religions and different levels of human resources and development. "We will need many resources which require much closer cooperation," he said. "We have to look beyond nations to reach a point of unity that offers common benefits...We cannot each solve such problems at the national level." The ministerial council, he said, has key roles in developing human resources and "building one community which ensures the welfare of its citizens, social justice, fundamental protection of rights and environmental stability.