BANGKOK: Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha (left) talks to HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- Jaber Al-Sabah before the opening ceremony of the 2nd Asia Cooperation Dialogue summit at the foreign ministry yesterday. — AP BANGKOK: Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha (left) talks to HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- Jaber Al-Sabah before the opening ceremony of the 2nd Asia Cooperation Dialogue summit at the foreign ministry yesterday. — AP

BANGKOK: Cooperation amongst members of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue Summit (ACD) was the main theme in the address given by HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to the second meeting of the regional organization. The Amir highlighted during the event the need for utilizing joint potentials and diverse capacities to realize the aspirations of the Asian countries and to achieve security and stability in the region.

The Kuwaiti leader called for a collective effort to combat poverty and environmental problems in Asia. He stressed the importance of developing healthcare and housing welfare for the people of the continent. HH the Amir also called on ACD members to respect international laws and norms stipulated by world organizations. Sheikh Sabah spoke about the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), recently endorsed in the United States of America, saying that it constitutes "a breach of international treaties' rules and harms our interests".

"Our second summit is being held while the continent faces grave challenges and dangers where we have all suffered from annihilating wars that resulted in many victims and weakened economies of the regional countries and obstructed their capacities and efforts for achieving the required developments," Sheikh Sabah said.

"Our communities today suffer from mounting challenges such as annihilating wars, poverty, low level of healthcare, illiteracy, environmental problems and rapid population growth, although we are aware of the necessity of collective action to face these challenges. However, our Asian joint action has remained below the aspirations, despite the vast geographic size of the continent and the huge demographic status," he added.

Kuwait will be working with its Asian partners to achieve development in all possible spheres, said HH the Amir, who noted that his country announced in 2012 an initiative to form an Asian development fund with a capital of $2 billion. The Kuwaiti leader called on all Asian nations to seek the 2030 development goals as one unit to achieve prosperity for the region.

Prime Minister of Thailand Prayut Chan-ocha echoed similar statements, urging Asian nations to seek means to boost cooperation in all possible fields, especially within the economic domain. Boosting ties within the political, commercial, and social spheres should also be amongst the top priorities of the ACD, said Prayut, who said Thailand was willing to become a vital player in building bridges of mutual understanding and cooperation amongst Asian nations. The Thai premier thanked Kuwait for hosting the headquarters of the ACD secretariat and also commended the country for its efforts in promoting ties in the Asian continent.

In statements to KUNA at the ACD, Kuwait's Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Suleiman Al-Jarallah said that the summit helped in achieving sustainable development in Asia. The Kuwaiti initiative to launch an Asian fund, in which the state donated $300 million, is an indication of Kuwait's utter commitment to development in Asia, said Jarallah. - KUNA