site.btaDeputy Foreign Minister Discusses Political, Economic, Cultural Cooperation with ASEAN Secretary-General

During his working visit to Indonesia on Thursday, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikolay Pavlov held a meeting with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn. The talks focused on the development of relations between Bulgaria and ASEAN and opportunities for deepening cooperation in the political, economic, and cultural spheres, the Foreign Ministry press service reported on Friday.

Pavlov expressed Bulgaria's readiness to diversify its trade relations with ASEAN member states, promote tourism exchange and cooperation in the field of innovation, information technology and artificial intelligence, with a view to positioning the country as a regional technology hub and gateway to the European market. Emphasis was placed on educational and cultural exchange, with Pavlov highlighting the role of Bulgarian cultural heritage in attracting interest. Bulgaria's desire to start the process of acceding to the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation was also pointed out.

The Minister also presented Bulgaria's progress towards joining the Eurozone on January 1, 2026, Bulgaria's membership in the Schengen area, as well as the ongoing process of joining the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. He highlighted the prospects for strengthening exchanges with ASEAN in this context.

Kao Kim Hourn outlined the main trends in the region's development, including the rapid growth of the digital economy, which is expected to reach USD 1 trillion and has the potential to grow to USD 2 trillion by 2030, as well as the significant increase in ASEAN's energy needs by 2050.

At the end of the meeting, both sides confirmed their readiness for closer cooperation and development of trade, cultural, and educational ties between Bulgaria and ASEAN countries in the context of a dynamically changing global economic environment.