At the seminar “ASEAN Integration: Speed-up Connectivity”, part of the ongoing 44th ADB annual meeting in Hanoi, participants discussed the rationale for accelerated regional economic integration and proposed action strategies and actions to accelerate the progress with a view to the region's better integrated and inclusive economy that narrows the development gap within and between nations.

They underscored the importance and geographic advantage of the group in the world, saying that ASEAN connectivity will play as a key to promote the bloc’s position on the international areas.

Facing common challenges, rising food and oil prices, natural disasters such as climate change, and high inflation, they emphasized the need to enhance connectivity among regional members in three areas of infrastructure, institutions and people-to-people.

They spoke highly of Vietnam’s contributions to and increasing role in the ASEAN integration process, especially efforts in implementing ASEAN commitments on trade facilitation and investment, links on infrastructure and coordinating works.

Le Hoai Trung, Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister, emphasized that ASEAN connectivity needs the involvement of different sectors – government, business, people to solve regional and global issues, such as environmental protection, food security, energy and inflation control.

VNA