Vietnam attends virtual SOM to prepare for upcoming ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi - A Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung attended a senior official meeting (SOM) of ASEAN via videoconference on January 5 to review preparations for the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat (AMMR) slated for January 18-19 in Siem Riep, Cambodia.

At the meeting, Dung believed that Cambodia would fulfil the role of ASEAN Chair 2022, while pledging that Vietnam will closely work with the country holding the Chairmanship to contribute to the organisation’s success this year.

He shared other countries’ viewpoints on ASEAN’s orientations and focus in 2022, affirming that solidarity, prestige and ASEAN’s central role are decisive factors for the bloc's success, especially as the region witnesses rapid, complex, and unpredictable fluctuations.

Regarding the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus, he appreciated the efforts and responsibility of special envoy Dato Erywan and the ASEAN General Secretary in the recent past.

He urged ASEAN to uphold its role in humanitarian aid to Myanmar people via the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre), and gain substantive progress in the special envoy's work.

Dung affirmed that the ‘ASEAN family’ stands ready to help Myanmar seek a long-term and sustainable solution, while hoping that Myanmar will continue to join hands with the bloc in 2022, thus contributing to the building of the ASEAN Community for peace, stability and development in the region.

At the event, the head of the Cambodia ASEAN SOM reviewed positive results obtained by ASEAN in 2021, especially in the implementation of action lines of the master plan on building the ASEAN Community, strengthening external relations and ASEAN’s central role, among others.

With the theme ‘Addressing Challenges Together’, Cambodia introduced orientations and key focus in cooperation of ASEAN this year, highlighting joint efforts of the member countries in addressing emerging challenges, thereby contributing to peace, security, stability and sustainable development in the region.

ASEAN nations affirmed their support and close cooperation with Cambodia, the Chair of ASEAN in 2022, so as to bolster the building of the ASEAN Community, maintain solidarity and surmount current difficulties together.

They also welcomed that Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn is named the ASEAN Chair’s special envoy to Myanmar; and underscored that ASEAN needs to continue carrying out the Five-Point Consensus.

Delegates discussed recommendations to enhance capacity and efficiency of ASEAN, and orientation to launch documents on the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific.