ASEAN officials discuss measures to strengthen cooperation

According to VNA,  an informal ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting (IAMM) took place at the UN headquarters in New York on September 22 to discuss cooperation within the bloc and coordination in member countries’ candidacies for membership of UN bodies and international organisations.

An informal ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting (IAMM) took place at the UN headquarters in New York on September 22 to discuss cooperation within the bloc and coordination in member countries’ candidacies for membership of UN bodies and international organisations. -0
Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc (Photo: VNA)

The event, held on the sidelines of the ongoing 77th session of the UN General Assembly, reviewed preparations for the 40th and 41st ASEAN summits and related summits, slated for November 10 - 13 in Phnom Penh.

Participants affirmed that their countries will keep working closely with Cambodia, which holds the ASEAN Chairmanship this year, to ensure the summits’ success.

They also welcomed some countries’ proposals to join the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) while affirming the TAC’s principles and values in guiding relations among regional countries, as well as between regional countries with external partners.

Officials also discussed the Myanmar issue, especially measures for the bloc to effectively engage in and build a favourable environment for dialogue in this country.

They voiced their deep concern over the Myanmar situation, stressing the necessity to continue effectively implementing the ASEAN leaders’ Five-Point Consensus, particularly promoting the work by the ASEAN Chair’s Special Envoy on Myanmar to obtain more concrete progress.

They also affirmed the support for efforts by ASEAN Chair Cambodia and the Special Envoy, and agreed to increase humanitarian assistance for Myanmar in the coming time.

Addressing the meeting, Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc, authorised by Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, thanked other ASEAN countries for their support to Vietnam to successfully run for many important positions at UN agencies. He agreed on the continuation of the bloc’s normal practices, coordination, and mutual support in coming candidacies.

He emphasised that ASEAN needs to keep upholding and promoting the TAC’s principles and values, especially amid profound, fast, and complex changes in the region and the world that have multidimensional impacts on all countries.

Regarding the Myanmar issue, Ngoc held that ASEAN should be more persistent and active in helping the country overcome the crisis and seek solutions for the sake of its people.

The bloc should press on with implementing the consensus with concrete and realistic targets and clear results, he stressed, adding that Vietnam and other ASEAN members strongly support Chair Cambodia, particularly the Special Envoy, to keep carrying out assigned tasks, thereby helping promote dialogue and reconciliation and work towards durable solutions for Myanmar and its people.

World

Singapore dollar hits 10-year high
World

Singapore dollar hits 10-year high

The Singaporean currency (SGD) is trading against the USD at its strongest level in almost a decade, touching new highs in recent weeks amid lower US interest rates coupled with investors' confidence in its resilient economy.

Malaysian retail chains say no to single-use plastic bags
World

Malaysian retail chains say no to single-use plastic bags

Some 16 retail chains across Malaysia have pledged to no longer provide single-use plastic bags to customers from October 1, said Minister of Housing and Local Government Nga Kor Ming at the “Say No to Single-Use Plastics” campaign in Kuala Lumpur on September 26.

Indonesia builds new data centre
World

Indonesia builds new data centre

The Indonesian government is currently constructing a new national data centre (PDN) in Bekasi and will build another two in Batam and Nusantara capital city (IKN), Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Coordinating Minister Hadi Tjahjanto has stated.

Japan continues support for Vietnam’s typhoon relief efforts
World

Japan continues support for Vietnam’s typhoon relief efforts

The Governor of Japan’s Yamanashi prefecture, Nagasaki Kotaro, on September 24 presented the token of 1 million JPY (over 6,900 USD) to the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan to support the country’s disaster relief efforts in the wake of Typhoon Yagi and its subsequent floods and landslides.