Secretary-General of ASEAN delivers video message at Fifth Ministerial Conference on Space Applications for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific

Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, delivered a pre-recorded video statement at the opening of the Fifth Ministerial Conference on Space Applications for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific (MC-5), co-organised by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Government of Thailand, in Bangkok, Thailand, on 28 October 2026. In his statement, SG Dr. Kao highlighted that, for ASEAN, space is a practical tool for strengthening regional resilience. He noted that Earth observation, satellite connectivity and early warning systems can help the region anticipate floods and storms, strengthen food and water security, and connect communities that might otherwise be left behind. SG Dr. Kao further affirmed ASEAN's readiness to contribute the outcomes of its space cooperation to the broader Asia-Pacific effort, with a view to ensuring that the benefits of space technology reach the peoples of all eleven ASEAN Member States.