Vietnam represented at 12th ASEAN Connectivity Symposium
VOV.VN - A Vietnamese delegation led by Ambassador Nguyen Hai Bang, permanent representative of Vietnam to ASEAN, attended the 12th ASEAN Connectivity Symposium which was held virtually on August 26 to promote recovery and resilience through connectivity.
Participants at the event were made up of over 150 delegates, including numerous ambassadors, heads of delegations of ASEAN member countries, partner countries, and the bloc’s sectoral dialogue and development partners. They were also joined by representatives from international organisations and the private sector.
With the function being an important event that has been held annually since 2010, the symposium offers a venue for participants to discuss ways to support the bloc’s micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) during the COVID-19 pandemic and measures which can promote post-pandemic recovery.
Members also focused their discussions on making preparations for ASEAN Connectivity after the pandemic and moving ahead to the post-2025 period, along with co-operation on connectivity with partners for prosperity of all member states.
During the course of the three discussion sessions, attendees shared information, knowledge, and experience on these issues. They also spend time to propose measures to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and develop recovery plans towards a smoothly-connected ASEAN community.
Most notably, the bloc and region’s recovery efforts moving past the COVID-19 pandemic should primarily focus on strategic investment, sustainable infrastructure development, and smart solutions, they emphasised.
Attention should also be paid to upgrading digital technology in order to strengthen supply chain connectivity, whilst also making proper investment in education and training as a means of preparing the region’s workforce for the future, they said.
The Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) is a strategic plan granted approval by ASEAN leaders in October, 2010, in Hanoi. It seeks to promote connectivity within ASEAN and between the bloc and its partners, thereby moving towards a smoothly-connected ASEAN community without barriers.
During the course of the 28th ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos, held in September, 2016, ASEAN leaders adopted the MPAC 2025 with a vision of a seamlessly and comprehensively connecting and integrating the bloc.