Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc of Vietnam, who chairs ASEAN in 2020, opens the 53rd ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (Photo: VNA)

Attending the 4-day AMM 53 and related meetings are 27 delegations from ASEAN countries, partners, and observers. They review ASEAN’s cooperation, the building of the ASEAN Community, the implementation of major initiatives for 2020, collaboration to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, relations with new partners, women’s role in sustainable peace and security, human rights, and sub-region development.

ASEAN to establish relations with new partners

Over the past 52 years, ASEAN’s status and position has been elevated globally. The just opened meeting will consider proposals from countries to establish full dialogue partnership, sectoral dialogue partnership, and development partnership.

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung said: “ASEAN has received proposals from countries, who want to become ASEAN partners in all three levels. The UK has proposed to establish  a full dialogue partnership with ASEAN. ASEAN is considering sectoral dialogue partnership with Morocco, the UAE, and some other countries. Countries have expressed their wish to join the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.”  

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged ASEAN countries, firstly supply chain disruption. Economic recovery is ASEAN’s top priority. The bloc is building a post-COVID-19 recovery framework and speeding up the signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

Deputy Foreign Minister Dung said: “The signing of the RCEP is one of ASEAN’s top priorities this year. As ASEAN’s Chair, Vietnam aims that the signing will take place later this year. The recent meeting of RCEP Economic Ministers agreed on certain issues. Vietnam hopes other ministerial meetings will reach consensus to conclude negotiations and sign the agreement.” 

Initiatives to maintain ASEAN’s cooperation momentum

Since the beginning of the year, Vietnam has proposed a number of initiatives to maintain and promote cooperation in epidemic prevention, build an ASEAN Community, strengthen partnership, and foster ASEAN’s centrality. Leaders of many countries and the general public have applauded Vietnam’s performance as ASEAN’s Chair.

During the AMM 53 this week, Vietnam will chair a meeting of ASEAN Coordination Council on regional development, a dialogue of ASEAN’s Foreign Ministers on promoting women’s role in sustainable peace and security, and a dialogue between ASEAN Foreign Ministers and the ASEAN Inter-governmental Committee on Human Rights.

ASEAN is facing unprecedented challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As ASEAN Chairman Vietnam will successfully host events to foster a cohesive and responsive ASEAN Community to deal with those challenges.