Vietnam is doing its best to fulfill its ASEAN Chairmanship mandate this year as the Covid-19 pandemic has hindered the 10-nation bloc from realizing its agenda, according to Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung.

Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung at the press meeting on September 7. Photo: Minh Tuan

Mr. Dung made the statement at an international press conference Monday on the 53rd ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM 53) and related meetings which will be held on September 9-12 via teleconference.

Mr. Dung noted that the meetings take place in the face of complicated developments in the region and the world, stiff competition among major powers and the mounting damage of the Covid-19 pandemic in the region, which has challenged cooperation activities in ASEAN.

Against that backdrop, Vietnam, as ASEAN Chair, has proposed a host of initiatives, maintained and promoted cooperation in the fight against the pandemic as well as community building, strengthening ASEAN’s partnerships and its centrality, the diplomat stressed.

AMM 53 and related meetings are among the most important gatherings of ASEAN yearly, said Mr. Dung, who is also ASEAN Seniors Officials Meeting (SOM) leader of Vietnam.

The Vietnamese official highlighted that 28 delegations from four continents and different time zones will take part in the meetings. The organization of these meetings is a big challenge for the ASEAN chair. However, Vietnam has managed to harmonize and handle requests of the parties to ensure the events’ continuity and ASEAN practices at the same time.

ASEAN foreign ministers are set to review the realization of the priorities and initiatives for 2020 and conduct mid-term evaluations of the master plans for implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025.

They would also discuss the implementation of the ASEAN Charter and formation of the post-2025 ASEAN Community Vision.

Some 40 documents are expected to be adopted, including the AMM-53 Joint Communiqué, the Hanoi Plan of Action of the ASEAN Regional Forum to charter orientations for the forum’s cooperation in 2020-2025, the Chair’s statement on outcomes of meetings with partners, and action plans with the partners.

As ASEAN Chair, Vietnam is hopeful the meetings will be a success, and plans and initiatives drawn up at the beginning of this year will be fully executed by the year-end, said Mr. Dung.