The affirmation was made by Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan at the third meeting of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Council (ASCC3) on April 7. 

“Our foremost interest is in how to increase all-round cooperation in the Socio-Cultural Community pillar in the coming time, and thus, together with the other pillars, contribute to building a sustainable ASEAN,” said Minister Ngan, who is also ASCC3 Chairwoman. 

The Vietnamese minister highly praised achievements made by Thailand following its ASEAN 2009 chairmanship, including efforts to implement a plan to build an ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community. 

The Head of the Thai delegation, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, said ASEAN countries had reached agreement on promoting understanding on the building of the Community. 

ASEAN Ministers have reviewed the implementation of a master plan to that end. 

They also agreed on five priority sectors in the year Vietnam takes over the ASEAN Chair, namely developing human resources for sustainable economic recovery; coping with global challenges relating to diseases, climate change and disaster management; increasing social welfare and development that benefits children and women in the region, and increasing cultural cooperation with a view to raising awareness of ASEAN and community building. 

The Ministers also ratified the council’s communications plan. 

On the occasion, the ASEAN Commission on “Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children” made its debut. 

Brunei’s representative on the committee, Adina Othma, said that its launch is a new development step for ASEAN and Brunei hopes to make positive contributions to the committee’s operation to ensure social welfare and equality for the women and children of Brunei in particular and of all ASEAN members as a whole.

VNA