The 27th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Retreat took place on March 2 and 3 via videoconference, ushering the first high-level engagement among ASEAN economic ministers under Brunei’s chairmanship.
Officials attend the 27th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Retreat via videoconference (Photo: VNA)
Jakarta (VNA) – The 27th ASEANEconomic Ministers’ Retreat took place on March 2 and 3 via videoconference,ushering the first high-level engagement among ASEAN economic ministers underBrunei’s chairmanship.
In its press release, the ASEAN Secretariat saidagainst the backdrop of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the ministers andrelevant representatives discussed post-pandemic recovery efforts across theregion, progress made in ASEAN’s economic community-building efforts, andASEAN’s external economic relations.
The ministers highlighted the need for greaterregional cooperation and collective action to begin the process of gradualeconomic recovery in ASEAN. Discussions on this included strengthening theresilience of regional value chains and supply chain linkages, harnessingtechnology to facilitate essential business travels and regional tourism in asafe manner, and committing to unimpeded flow of essential goods across theregion.
In line with this, the ministers endorsedBrunei’s 13 priority economic deliverables which focus on recovery,digitalisation, and sustainability.
On the ongoing digital transformation andaccelerated digitisation taking place in ASEAN due to the pandemic, theministers emphasised the need to ensure that benefits from digitisation redoundto ASEAN’s peoples.
ASEAN Secretary-General Dato Lim Jock Hoiunderscored the critical need for innovative solutions and capitalising ondigital technology to fast track safe reopening of ASEAN’s economies towardsrecovery.
He cited, in particular, leveraging on the travel corridorframework to pursue common health protocols for possible health/vaccinescertificates./.
Foreign ministers of the ten ASEAN member states convened an informal meeting via videoconference on March 2 to discuss the political crisis in Myanmar.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh on March 2 led a Vietnam delegation to attend a virtual Informal ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, during which he affirmed Vietnam, as an active and responsible member of the ASEAN Community, commits to working with other member states of the bloc in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
An informal meeting of foreign ministers of 10 ASEAN member states ended on March 2 with the release of a Chair's Statement. The following is the full text of the document:
Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Quoc Khanh attended the 27th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Retreat held via videoconference on March 2 and 3, during which he and other delegates approved 10 initiatives and priorities for economic cooperation in 2021.
Economic ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have proposed a common digital COVID-19 vaccine certificate to speed up the re-opening of hardest-hit sectors as tourism, according to Malaysia’s state-run news agency Bernama.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Officials attend the 27th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Retreat via videoconference (Photo: VNA) 
