SOM meeting prepares for ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting

On January 18, the ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) took place in Langkawi City, Malaysia to review preparations for the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat (AMMR) to be held on January 19. Deputy Foreign Minister and Head of ASEAN SOM Vietnam Do Hung Viet led the Vietnamese delegation to attend the meeting.

Deputy Minister Do Hung Viet and the Vietnamese delegation attended the ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) at the Langkawi International Convention Center, Malaysia, on January 18. (Photo: Quang Hoa)

The Conference was attended by SOMs from 10 ASEAN member countries and observer country Timor-Leste.

At the Summit, member countries congratulated Malaysia on assuming the role of ASEAN Chair 2025 at a particularly important time for the community building process. The countries expressed their support and readiness to cooperate with Malaysia to complete the orientations and priorities proposed by Malaysia on politics-security, economy, culture-society and connectivity, to realize the theme of “Inclusiveness and Sustainability”.

The countries also emphasized the importance of maintaining intra-bloc solidarity and ASEAN's central role, considering this a key factor to ensure success in enhancing regional cooperation and connectivity, building the ASEAN community, responding to challenges, and consolidating peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister Do Hung Viet congratulated and expressed his belief that Malaysia will successfully assume the role of ASEAN Chair in 2025. The Deputy Minister emphasized that 2025 is an important time in the history of ASEAN cooperation and development. Therefore, in parallel with promoting cooperation efforts, ASEAN also needs to focus on communication and promotion to people, businesses and partners.

Deputy Minister Do Hung Viet and delegates attending the ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) before the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat (AMMR). (Photo: Quang Hoa)

The Deputy Minister also shared Vietnam's domestic plan to play a coordinating role in celebrating the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-New Zealand dialogue relations by organizing the ASEAN-New Zealand Commemorative Summit at the end of the year, and building vision documents and action plans to elevate and deepen the ASEAN-New Zealand strategic partnership in the coming time.

The ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat will take place tomorrow, January 19, as an opportunity for ASEAN Foreign Ministers to discuss and agree on the agenda and implementation plan for the whole year. In particular, this Conference is also of great significance in orienting ASEAN's strategy in the new development phase with the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and the Strategic Plans on the Political-Security, Economic, Cultural-Social and Connectivity Community.

Deputy Minister Do Hung Viet at a bilateral meeting with Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Head of SOM Malaysia Amran Mohamed Zin. (Photo: Quang Hoa)

The Ministers will also discuss measures to effectively implement the outcomes of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and the Summits with partners in Vientiane in October 2024, and exchange views on outstanding international and regional issues.

Malaysia is expected to release a Press Statement on the results of the Conference.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/hoi-nghi-som-tru-bi-cho-hoi-nghi-bo-truong-ngoai-giao-asean-301389.html