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Second Asia Cooperation Dialogue Summit
Bangkok Declaration & Economic Relations Development
amongst Asian Countries
The meetings of the Second Asia Cooperation
Dialogue Summit (ACD Summit), held in Thailand
from 8 to 10 October 2016, had a special significance
due to the economic and developmental issues on its
agenda, including energy security as one of the top
strategic issues in Asia and around the world. The
meetings were attended by Their Highnesses and
Excellencies Heads of States and Emirs, as well as,
senior officials in Asian countries including OAPEC
members. The Emir of the State of Kuwait HH Sheikh
Sabah Al Ahmed Al Sabah attended the event. The
summit was crowned by announcing the “Bangkok
Declaration”. The declaration reiterated the desire
of the convening Asian countries to boost mutual
cooperation to achieve sustainable development goals
by 2030. The declaration welcomed the continuation
of the Asian dialogue as a platform to enhance
economic cooperation between its countries. It also
referred to the importance of boosting partnership
between public and private sectors in these countries.
The Second Asia Cooperation Dialogue Summit
enjoyed special significance due to Asia’s position
on the map of the global economy and energy
balance. Asian countries come on top of the energy
consumers, especially China, India, Japan, and South
Korea. The relative importance of theAsian countries
is expected to grow in coming years due to growing
population rates in most of them especially China
and India. Arab countries in Asia, led by OAPEC
member countries, enjoy a significant status since
they top the world’s oil and natural gas reserves.
Economic relations between Asian countries,
including China, have strategic and historic roots.
The Silk Road, crossing Asia from east to west all
the way to China and vice versa, was the main route
for international trade. Commercial ships from the
Arabian Gulf countries played a pioneering role
in the trade exchange movement between the east
and the west parts of the continent in the end of the
19th century and the beginning of the 20th century.
EDITORIAL