London (ANTARA News) - The representatives of ASEAN member states greeted newly appointed Indonesian Ambassador to Qatar Muhammad Basri Sidehabi during the opening of ASEAN Family Day (AFD) at Barzan Olympic Park, Doha, Qatar, recently.

Chairman of the ASEAN Committee in Doha (ACD) Ambassador Wong Kwok Pun of Singapore introduced Sidebahi to the extended family and staff of the ASEAN embassies in Qatar, saying the presence of the new Indonesian envoy was special.

Political counselor of the Indonesian Embassy in Qatar Dharmawan informed ANTARA News on Friday that AFD was a traditional event held by the ASEAN community in Qatar aimed at enhancing networking, coordination, cooperation, friendship, and togetherness among the extended family and staff of the ASEAN member states missions in Doha.

The AFD, a much-awaited annual event of the ACD, is a forum for the extended family of ASEAN in Qatar. The ACD was founded in December 2011 with the aim of bringing the ASEAN community closer to the government and people of Qatar.

Ambassador Sidehabi, who presented his letter of credence to the Qatari Emir on March 3, remarked that the AFD was part of multi-track diplomacy to promote relations between ASEAN member states and Qatar.

He expressed hope that the event would forge closer ties and deeper cooperation between some 350 thousand citizens of the ASEAN member states in Qatar and the local community. The number is almost equal to the population of Qatar.
(Uu.ZG/S012/INE/KR-BSR/F001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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