Iran to host ACD meeting from November 8-9

The Ninth Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) Ministerial Meeting will be held here from November 8-9.


The event themed 'Towards Asian Convergence and Unity: Promoting Happiness, Peace and Justice' is to be attended by foreign ministers from 31 member states.

ACD, which was set up on the basis of dialogue, seeks to strengthen cooperation in different fields, especially in the economic and developmental areas.

Some eight rounds of the event have been held in Thailand, China, Pakistan, Qatar, South Korea, Kazakhstan and Sri Lanka from 2002-2009. Thailand hosted the first two rounds in 2002 and 2003 with the participation of 18 member states.

The idea to set up ACD was first raised during the 34th Foreign Ministers Meeting of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Hanoi in 2001 by the then Thai prime minister.

ACD is a body created in 2002 to promote Asian cooperation at a continental level and to help integrate separate regional cooperation organizations such as ASEAN, SAARC and the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council.

Kuwait is the next host of the ACD meeting in 2011.

ACD was founded by 18 members and currently it comprises the 31 states.

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