Phnom Penh, Nov 11 (IANS): The 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits and Related Summits kicked off in the capital of Cambodia on Friday, with the main focus on continuing community-building process, post-Covid recovery, and regional and global security challenges, among others.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the summits, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen urged the 10-member bloc to focus on the common goal of mutual development for peace, stability and the betterment of the region, reports Xinhua news agency.

He called for building the future of ASEAN as a community that is united, inclusive, resilient and rules-based, and that remains central to the evolving regional architecture, forging external partnerships based on mutual trust and respect for regional and global peace, security and sustainable growth.

Over 100 outcome documents will be adopted and noted during the meetings, and the ASEAN leaders will issue three statements, namely the ASEAN Leaders' Statement on the 55th Anniversary of ASEAN, the ASEAN Leaders' Vision Statement on ASEAN A.C.T: Addressing Challenges Together, and the ASEAN Leaders' Statement on ASEAN Connectivity Post-2025 Agenda, at the end of the summits, according to the prime minister.

As the current socio-economic situation in ASEAN as well as in the whole world remains fragile and divided, Hun Sen called for the right decisions, policies and realistic approaches to address the strategic challenges.

Cambodia is the chair of ASEAN for 2022, and the summits are scheduled for November 11-13.

Established in 1967, ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Indonesia is the ASEAN chair for 2023.