New Deputy Sec-Gen for Asean Socio-Cultural Community assumes office

Asean on Tuesday welcomed Mr Ekkaphab Phanthavong as the new Deputy Secretary-General (DSG) of Asean for the Asean Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC), according to the Asean website.
As stated in the Asean Charter, DSG Phanthavong supports the Secretary-General of Asean in the implementation of the ASCC Blueprint 2025 and will lead the ASCC Department of the Asean Secretariat.

He will oversee the implementation of projects under the Asean Socio-Cultural Community that focus on forging a common identity and building a caring and sharing society.
Mr Phanthavong, a Lao national, will serve a three-year term from 2021 to 2024. He succeeds DSG Kung Phoak from Cambodia, who held the position from 2018-2021.
With over 15 years of experience, Mr Phanthavong has served numerous appointments at the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Prior to assuming the position, he was the Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Laos to Asean from 2018 to 2021, based in Jakarta.
Previously, he served as Deputy Director-General of the Asean Department (Socio-Cultural Community Affairs) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Laos.
Under the Asean Charter, the Secretary-General of Asean is assisted by four Deputy Secretaries-General, of different nationalities from the Secretary-General, who come from four different Asean Member States.
Two Deputy Secretaries-General are nominated by Member States on a rotational basis for a non-renewable term of three years while two others are openly recruited based on merit for a three-year term which may be renewed for another three years.
Mr Phanthavong is one of the two nominated Deputy Secretaries-General.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update October 13, 2021)