ASEAN officials discuss preparations for upcoming activities
Deputy Foreign Minister and head of the SOM ASEAN Vietnam Nguyen Quoc Dung chaired the ASEAN Senior Officials' Preparatory Meeting (Prep-SOM), the second meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) Working Group on Public Health Emergencies (ACCWG-PHE) and the Joint Consultation Meeting in Hanoi on June 22.
Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Foreign Minister and head of the SOM ASEANVietnam Nguyen Quoc Dung chaired the ASEAN SeniorOfficials' Preparatory Meeting (Prep-SOM), the secondmeeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) Working Group on Public HealthEmergencies (ACCWG-PHE) and the Joint Consultation Meeting in Hanoi on June 22.
The online meetings were meant to prepare for the 36th ASEAN Summit and ministerial meetings slated for June 24-26, with ASEAN senior officials in the pillars of politics-security,socio-culture and economy, health officials and heads ofpermanent representative delegations to ASEAN taking part.
Representing Vietnam as ASEAN Chair2020, Deputy FM Dung updated participants on agendas of meetings and a listof documents scheduled for rat꧙ification at the ASEAN Summit.
ASEAN officials spoke highly of Vietnam’s preparations for the meetings, sayingthat under the country’s directions, such meetings will be a success.
They stressed that despite difficulties caused by COVID-19, the bloc will stay consistent with its goalsand principles, striving for a united and open ASEAN Community with rules-basedregional architecture.
Dung updated the gathering onprogress in launching priorities and initiatives during Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2020. He also reaffirmed ASEAN’s cooperative spirit, c💙lose coordinationwith partners in the fight against COVID-19, and post-pandemic re🅠covery.
Amid the current situation, hehighlighted the need to raise a sense of responsibility, maintain peace andstability, and prevent unilateral action that could further complicate thesituation, towards successfully curbing the pandemic. Discussing the implementation of theoutcomes of the ASEAN Special Summit and ASEAN 3 Special Summit on COVID-19 Response atthe ACCWG-PHE’s second meeting, the bloc agreedto step up the progress of four initiatives, including the ASEAN Response Fundfor COVID-19, the ASEAN Reserve on medical supplies, emergency responseguidelines, and post-COVID-19 recovery plan. Officials called on ASEAN to focuson curbing the spread of COVID-19 and improving prevention capacity to bettercope with medical contingencies in the future. Dung shared his concern over the secondwave of the coronavirus and urged countries to work more closely together toresume activities, especially for vulnerable groups, small and medium-sizedenterprises, among others./.
Foreign ministers from ASEAN and Russia held a special meeting on COVID-19 via video conference on June 17, to promote cooperation between the two parties in preventing and combating the pandemic.
The 28th meeting of the Senior Officials’ Committee for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (SOCA) was held via video conference under the chair of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) on June 22.
The ASEAN Senior Officials’ Preparatory Meeting (PREP-SOM) was held online on June 22 and chaired by Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung, head of the Vietnam ASEAN SOM.
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.
Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung chairs Joint Consultation Meeting (Photo: VNA) 
