Iran elected as new head of Asia Cooperation Dialogue

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has been elected as the new head of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) at the 18th Ministerial Meeting of the forum.

According to Press TV, the meeting was held on the sidelines of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday.

Delivering a speech at the meeting, Amir-Abdollahian highlighted the importance of multilateralism and the significant role of multilateral organizations such as ACD in creating consensus among the countries to overcome global challenges and create opportunities for growth.

"A More Integrated and Capable Asia through Emerging New Technologies" was the slogan the Iranian diplomat announced for this round of the ACD, inviting the member countries of the organization to take part in the next meeting of the forum in Tehran in 2024. 

"The Islamic Republic of Iran is determined to maximize its contribution to the ACD during its chairmanship, in close coordination with the Member States and the Secretariat," he stated.

The first of its kind in Asia, ACD is a continent-wide forum, which was established two decades ago. Its headquarters is based in Kuwait. 

The forum has 35 Asian member countries, and in the last two years' chairmanship was up to Bahrain.

More specifically, the ACD aims to constitute a missing link in Asia by incorporating every Asian country and building an Asian community without duplicating other organizations or creating a bloc against others.

A key principle is to consolidate Asian strengths and fortify Asia's competitiveness by maximizing the diversity and rich resources evident in Asia.

ME