“We are grateful for his work to strengthen the ASEAN-U.S. partnership,” a U.S. official noted in a statement from the U.S. Embassy received by ANTARA in Jakarta, Friday.
Abraham was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to ASEAN in September 2022 after being unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
The U.S. official stated that during Ambassador Abraham’s tenure, the United States and ASEAN have greatly expanded and deepened their relationship.
One of them is the upgrade of U.S.-ASEAN relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which Ambassador Abraham negotiated, the U.S. official remarked.
"Both the U.S. and ASEAN have elevated their work on critical topics like the environment and climate change, health security, energy security, and human rights, and the expansion of our work with ASEAN on key topics like cybersecurity and defense," the U.S. official remarked.
The U.S. official said that the United States formally endorsed ASEAN’s Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, which promoted key issues like maritime cooperation and connectivity during Ambassador Abraham’s tenure.
“As President Biden has said, ASEAN is at the heart of the United States Indo-Pacific Strategy. We’re deeply committed to ASEAN’s centrality,” Secretary Antony J. Blinken said as quoted at the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference with the United States in Laos on July 27.
“This means we will keep working with and through ASEAN to tackle the biggest challenges while seizing on what we see as almost limitless opportunities,” Blinken remarked.
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“And we strongly support ASEAN’s Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, which shares fundamental principles with their own Indo-Pacific Strategy,” Blinken noted.
The U.S. official highlighted that the ASEAN Center in the U.S. was launched during Ambassador Abraham's tenure, and he also has contributed to the growth of key people-to-people programs such as the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI).
Meanwhile, Secretary General of ASEAN, Kao Kim Hourn, remarked that Ambassador Abraham is one of the most proactive diplomats in the region and a skilled advocate for the U.S.
“During his tenure, he has contributed positively to the ASEAN Community-building efforts, especially in advancing the ASEAN-U.S. Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” Kao stated.
“Thanks to his commitment and tireless efforts, Ambassador Yohannes was able to organize the inaugural working visit of the Secretary-General of ASEAN to the U.S. on June 10-13, 2024,” he stated.
Ambassador Abraham affirmed that it is an honor to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to ASEAN.
He said that in the last few years, the U.S.-ASEAN relationship had reached new heights, including the upgrade to the US-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, owing to efforts across the U.S. government and the region.
“My sincere thanks to all those colleagues who made this possible,” Ambassador Abraham stated.
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Reporter: Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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