Vietnamese Ambassador takes office as ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General

Following the event, Binh officially began his three-year tenure in the post which will run from 2021 to 2024.
His role will involve providing support to the Secretary General of ASEAN to devise strategies, offering guidance on research, corporate, and public affairs as well as outreach activities. In addition, he will also oversee the implementation of administration and general affairs whilst working on financial matters and the budget. Other responsibilities will involve human resources, information technology, information resource management, community outreach schemes, stakeholder engagements, protocol, conference and formalities, legal affairs, programme co-operation, and project management, among others.

As stated in the ASEAN Charter, the position of Secretary General of ASEAN shall be assisted by four deputies. Two deputies are nominated by the ASEAN member states on a rotational basis for a non-renewable term consisting of three years, while the two remainders are openly recruited based on their merit for a three-year term which may be renewed for another three years.           

Binh was recruited after surpassing nearly 20 candidates from other ASEAN nations. Most notably, his success means that the country will have had a representative in the management board of the ASEAN Secretariat for 11 consecutive years from 2013 to 2024.

As an experienced diplomat Binh has served numerous appointments whilst working at the Vietnam Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Prior to assuming his latest post, he was based in Jakarta as the Vietnamese Ambassador and Permanent Representative to ASEAN between 2018 and 2021. 

Alongside the Vietnamese diplomat, also assuming office on the same day was Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Political Security Community Robert Matheus Michael Tene.