Jakarta (VNA) – The Initiative for ASEANIntegration (IAI) Task Force convened the 63rd meeting virtually inJakarta, Indonesia on March 25.
Ambassador Nguyen Hai Bang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to ASEAN chaired the meeting in the capacity of chair of the Task Force in 2021.
This was a regular meeting of ASEAN permanentrepresentatives to review the implementation of projects within the IAI andseek solutions to further improve the efficiency of IAI Work Plans, includingthe completion of the IAI Work Plan III (2016-2020) and the launch of IAIWork Plan IV (2021-2025) which was adopted in late 2020.
So far, 22 out of 26 action lines of the IAI Work Plan III,or 84.6 percent, have been implemented across five strategic areas of “Foodand Agriculture”, “Trade Facilitation”, “Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises(MSMEs)”, “Education”, and “Health and Well-being”.
Currently, 127 projects have been approved and implementedwith total capital of 30.79 million USD. By the end of the work plan in July2021, seven additional projects will be designed to complete the remaining fouraction lines.
At the meeting, the Task Force approved 17 new projectswithin the IAI Work Plan IV (2021-2025), 16 of which are funded by Singaporeand one by Japan.
In the future, the Task Force will continue to speed up the second phase of theproject supporting the implementation of the IAI Work Plan IV, including theorganisation of national consultations in CLMV countries (Cambodia, Laos,Myanmar and Vietnam) and a regional consultation forum, thus building detailimplementation plan and propose model projects in CLMV countries.
The IAI was adopted by ASEAN member countries in 2000 withan aim to narrow down the development gap among ASEAN countries and supportCLMV countries in full integration into the regional economy./.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh on January 21 led a Vietnamese delegation to attend the online ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat (AMM Retreat) at the invitation of Foreign Minister of Brunei Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof.
The 20th Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam Senior Economic Officials’ Meeting (CLMV SEOM) was held on January 25 via video conference, during which Vietnam suggested countries study and select the form of implementing projects suitable to the “new normal” in each country when compiling the CLMV Action Plan for 2021-2022.
Ambassador Nguyen Hai Bang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to ASEAN, attended the 22nd meeting of the ASEAN-China Joint Cooperation Committee (ACJCC) via videoconference on March 5.
Ambassador Nguyen Hai Bang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to ASEAN, and Japanese Ambassador Chiba Akira on March 23 co-chaired the 15th meeting of the ASEAN-Japan Joint Cooperation Committee.
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.
At the event (Photo: VNA) 
