Fourth ASCC meeting opens in Danang

Speaking at the ceremony, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung emphasized that ASEAN is now a well-linked political and economical entity and a successful and dynamic regional association that plays a greater role in the region and is a strategic partner of international organizations.

Mr Dung said ASEAN countries have promoted cooperation in politics, security, and economics to realize the goal of an ASEAN Community that is politically harmonious, economically integrated, and socially responsible.

In addition, they have also boosted social and cultural promotion to establish an ASEAN social-cultural community, a united community in which member countries share, protect, and help each other and work together to narrow the development gap and build up ASEAN characteristics; a community which works towards raising the quality of people’s living conditions and development: increasing social welfare, ensuring social equality and basic human rights; and ensuring sustainability and environmental protection, he said.

The Government leader highlighted ASCC activities that have contributed significantly to establishing the ASEAN Community. The ASCC has drawn up a legal framework and roadmap for the operation of the community, and defined priorities for its plan. It has also designed programmes and proposed measures to resolve issues related to health care, education, the environment, human rights, human resources development, and dealing with global challenges like the economic crisis, climate change, natural disasters, and epidemics.

According to Mr Dung, ASEAN countries must make greater efforts to carry out commitments and priorities defined in the overall plan of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, one of which is to strengthen monitoring and supervision measures to ensure agreements are implemented.

The PM emphasised the importance of increasing coordination and joint action among relevant agencies in the Socio-Cultural Pillar, especially the coordination of the Socio-Cultural Community. It is also essential to ensure sufficient resources for implementation of the overall plan to build the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community in due time.

For the immediate period, he said a suitable mechanism should be created to mobilise and manage resources from ASEAN members and partners and encourage more active participation from the private sector.

Mr Dung also expressed his belief that participants at the 4^th ASCC meeting will reach consensus on many items and specific measures to be implemented in 2010 and following years to build a successful ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community.

The delegates gave opinions to complete two important documents to be submitted for approval at the forthcoming 17^th ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting in October 2010. The documents include a draft declaration by ASEAN Leaders on human resources development and skills for economic recovery and growth, and a draft declaration on social welfare for women and children.

They also focused their discussion on evaluating the implementation of the overall plan for building an ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community that was drawn up at the previous meeting in April 2010. They shared experiences in implementing projects in preferential areas defined in the ASCC master plan for 2010, including dealing with global challenges, developing human resources for economic recovery, sustainable development, and social welfare for women and children, and creating an ASEAN cultural identity.