ASEAN connectivity plan reviewed in Indonesia. (Photo: thediplomat.com)
Jakarta (VNA) – The second meeting of the ASEAN Connectivity Coordinating Committee (ACCC) in 2016 and related meetings took place in Manado, Indonesia on May 29-30 with Perm🗹anent Representative of Vietnam to ASEAN Nguyen Hoanh Nam in attendance.
The meetings reviewed the implementation of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2010 (MPAC) to strengthen intra-regional connectivity in terms of infrastructure, institutions and people.
Regarding infrastructure connectivity, attendees reviewed the progress of several projects, including the ASEAN Highway Network, the Singapore-Kunming Rail Link, and the ASEAN Broadband Corridor.
For institutional connectivity, the Implementation Frameworks of the ASEAN Single Aviation Market and the ASEAN Single Shipping Market were approved; and agreements on trade and transport facilitation will be continued.
For people-to-people connectivity, ASEAN rolled out the ASEAN Virtual Learning Resources Centre and the ASEAN Curriculum Sourcebook while courses on ASEAN studies have been introduced in universities of the ASEAN University Network.
Attendees highlighted a lack of capital and human resources and insufficient coordination as obstacles to implementing the MPAC.
They stressed the need to strengthen coordination to implement the MPAC and improve the capacity of the ASEAN Secretariat in monitoring ASEAN Connectivity projects.
The meetings also developed the post-2015 ASEAN Connectivity Agenda which will be submitted to ASEAN leaders for approval at the ASEAN Summit this September.
The ACCC’s third meeting this year will be held in Vientiane, Laos in October.-VNA
The establishment of the ASEAN Community on December 31, 2015, with three key pillars of Politics-Security, Economics, Culture-Society, marks a major milestone of the bloc.
An inter-ministerial meeting took place in Hanoi on January 8, to review the results of Vietnam’s ASEAN cooperation in 2015 and define priorities for 2016.
A forum was held in Jakarta, Indonesia, on April 6 to provide information about the vision, strategies, targets and initiatives for the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity to 2025 (MPAC 2025).
The ASEAN-Russia Commemorative Summit to mark the 20th anniversary of ASEAN-Russia dialogue partnership issued a Sochi Declaration, affirming their commitment to moving towards a strategic partnership
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Efforts to empower women must transcend dialogue and translate into concrete commitments, including corporate pledges and government partnerships, according to the spouse of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The forum featured two in-depth discussion sessions, engaging representatives from governments, think tanks, and businesses from both ASEAN and China, on how to forge closer ties for a common future.
The new FIFA Hub in Jakarta will not only support football development in Indonesia but also serve as a coordination centre for 21 football associations across Southeast and East Asia.
Minister Counselor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen reaffirmed Vietnam’s principled and consistent stance on the Palestine issue, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire across the entire Gaza Strip.
PM Anwar Ibrahim affirmed the determination of Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair for 2025, to utilise all viable regional mechanisms of the bloc and work with partners to de-escalate violence and restore a peace process led by Myanmar.
Talking to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Vietnam’s Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925–2025), Nikulina, who is also a veteran journalist of Russia’s Sputnik News, emphasised the vital role of mainstream journalism in defending the truth and maintaining public trust.
The Ministry of Commerce reported that imports also rose 18% to 29.9 billion USD during the same period, resulting in a trade surplus of 1.1 billion USD. In May alone, Thailand posted a 4.6 billion USD trade surplus with the US and a 4.1 billion USD trade deficit with China.
The World Bank will provide a 2.1 billion USD financing package for Indonesia, focusing oncreating jobs, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing access to clean energy across the country.
Member states also reviewed progress on six priority areas for 2025, including the development of an underground cable framework, the follow-up agreement to the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement (APSA), the launch of the ASEAN Energy Efficiency Database, and the rollout of an investment platform for sustainable building initiatives.
ASEAN connectivity plan reviewed in Indonesia. (Photo: thediplomat.com)
