Senior ASEAN Transport Officials Meeting opens in Philippines
The 41st ASEAN STOM opened in the Philippines’ capital city of Manila on April 26, discussing initiatives to further bolster transportation connections in the region.
Hanoi (VNA) - The 41st ASEAN Senior Transport Officials Meeting (STOM) opened in the Philippines’ capital city of Manila on April 26, discussing initiatives to further bolster transportation connections in the region.
The event drew the participation of 120 senior transport officials, representatives from the ten member countries, and dialogue partners of the bloc, including China, the European Union (EU), Japan, the Republic of Korea and Russia.
In his opening speech, the host country’s Assistant Secrectary of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOCT) Sherielysse Bonifacio said the event will create favourable conditions for ASEAN member states to continue their collaboration in the area.
It also expects to intensify regional affiliation and increase the quality of life for people, he added.
According to the DOCT, the transport sector will also implement new projects and programmes, after the STOM passes the Kuala Lumpur Transport Strategic Plan (ASEAN Transport Strategic Plan) for 2016-2025 .
The strategic plan addresses 30 pragmatic goals, and 78 action programmes in five areas including air, road, sea, substantial transportation and transport infrastructure, and will serve as a guide for ASEAN economic integration during 2016-2025.
The 28th ASEAN Senior Transport Officials Meeting (STOM 28) opened in Hanoi on Dec. 7 with the participation of representatives from the ten member countries.
The 33 rd ASEAN Senior Transport Officials Meeting (STOM) took place in Bandung in the Indonesia province of West Java , , from May 22 to May 25 to finalise the master plan on ‘ASEAN Connectivity.’
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Illustrative image (Source: internet)
