On February 2, ASEAN Senior Officials (SOMs) met at the headquarters of the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia to review the preparations for the ASEAN Coordinating Council Meeting and the Foreign Ministers’ Retreat. ASEAN will take place on February 3-4.
| The ASEAN Senior Officials met at the ASEAN Secretariat headquarters in Jakarta, Indonesia. |
Ambassador Vu Ho, Acting Head of SOM ASEAN Vietnam led the Vietnamese delegation to attend the meeting.
The countries congratulated Indonesia on accepting the role of ASEAN Chair 2023, expressed their support and willingness to coordinate and support the Chairman to fulfill his responsibilities, contribute to the Community, and enhance the image, position and prestige of the ASEAN. ASEAN.
These ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meetings are important, kick-start and set orientations for ASEAN cooperation in the whole year of 2023. The ministers will discuss the direction of implementing decisions of ASEAN leaders at the meeting. The 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits (November 2022), agreed on the focus and priorities for 2023, foreign relations and international and regional issues of common concern. It is expected that the President of Indonesia will issue a press statement on the results of the conferences.
The heads of the SOMs of the countries discussed many specific cooperation proposals to promote cooperation between ASEAN and between ASEAN and its partners, including building a Vision of the ASEAN Community following 2025, improving the capacity and effectiveness of ministerial organization. ASEAN machinery and agencies, promoting maritime security and cooperation…
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| Delegates pose for a photo. |
Speaking at the meeting, Ambassador Vu Ho congratulated and expressed his belief that Indonesia will successfully assume the role of ASEAN Chair 2023. Contribution to the Conference,
Ambassador Vu Ho also actively exchanged many contents related to ASEAN cooperation and Vietnam’s contributions to ASEAN 2023, such as organizing promotional activities regarding ASEAN and cooperation between ASEAN and partners.
It is known that Vietnam has also actively proposed to organize a number of conferences related to ASEAN-China cooperation in the implementation of the DOC Declaration.
On the same day, there was a meeting of the Executive Board of the Treaty Committee for the Southeast Asia Treaty Free of Nuclear Weapons (SEANWFZ). The countries continued to affirm the importance of SEANWFZ, agreeing to make efforts to find solutions to outstanding problems, promote nuclear weapons-owning countries to join the Treaty Protocol, as well as exchange measures to enhance the role and promote the value of the Treaty.
Tomorrow, at the headquarters of the ASEAN Secretariat, the 32nd ASEAN Coordinating Council Meeting will take place. Before that, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers will meet with Indonesian President Joko Widodo on the occasion of the meeting in Jakarta.
