At the meeting (Source: VNA) AmbassadorNguyen Hai Bang, head of Vietnam’s Permanent Mission to ASEAN, in his capacityas chair of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Task Force, spoke highlyof Australia’s aid worth 2.8 million USD for the implementation of the IAI WorkPlan III (2016-2020).
Herequested Australia to further assist ASEAN in carrying out the IAI Work PlanIV (2021-2025) which was adopted during the 37th ASEAN Summit held in late2020.
At theevent, participating ambassadors applauded cooperation results obtained in allfields, especially a decision to turn the ASEAN-Australia Summit into an annualevent since this year.
Australiais the seventh largest trade partner of ASEAN and an important foreign investorwith 2.77 billion USD in total as of October 2020.
Thesides agreed to collaborate in implementing the 2020-2024 Plan ofAction (PoA) in a strategic and practical manner, prioritising activitiesand projects in keeping with COVID-19 developments.
Australiaaffirmed its support for ASEAN’s central role in contributing to maintainingpeace and stability in the region. The country is committed to continuing its supportfor the bloc in building the ASEAN Community and the IAI implementation.
It alsoannounced the provision of 1 million AUD (764,200 USD) to a ASEAN’s fund forCOVID-19 response; 21 million AUD for the ASEAN Centre for Public HealthEmergencies and Emerging Diseases; and another 1 million AUD for the ASEANComprehensive Recovery Framework.
ASEANhighly valued the ASEAN-Australia strategic partnership, especially Australia’sassistance like the ASEAN–Australia Development Cooperation Programme Phase II,the ASEAN Australia New Zealand Free Trade Agreement and the New Colombo Plan.
Both sides pledged to deepen theASEAN-Australia strategic partnership and noted the importance of enhancingcooperation in areas such as maritime security, cyber security, the fightagainst transnational crime, trade and investment, connectivity, smart city, developmentgap reduction, education, people-to-people exchanges, health, and sustainabledevelopment./.
VNA
