ASEAN Secretary-General Dato Lim Jock Hoi has lauded Vietnam’s leadership and persistence in leading the ASEAN in building the ASEAN Community, and especially in promoting the grouping’s joint efforts in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Participants at the meeting
Addressing the first meeting in 2021 of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN (CPR) held on January 15 in online form, the ASEAN leader noted that 2020 was a year of difficulties and challenges brought about by COVID-19 pandemic and highlighted the special position of the CPR in ASEAN activities in Jakarta.
Under the leadership of the Vietnam mission to ASEAN, the CPR worked effectively in coordination with other ASEAN mechanisms and the ASEAN Secretariat in fulfilling tasks in 2020, contributing to strengthening inter-sectorial and inter-pillar cooperation and coordination in the building of the ASEAN Community, expanding the bloc’s collaboration with partners and improving the capacity of the ASEAN Secretariat, he said.
In 2021 when COVID-19 pandemic is developing complicatedly, he held that Brunei’s choosing the theme of “We Care, We Prepare, We Prosper” for its ASEAN Chairmanship Year is a suitable choice.
Along with promoting ASEAN Community building, one of the major tasks of Brunei in the year is reconstructing the region through the implementation of the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework (ACRF) as well as initiatives approved by ASEAN leaders in 2020, he said.
Ambassador Tran Duc Binh, head of the Vietnam permanent mission to the ASEAN, thanked representatives of countries to the ASEAN for their support and effective collaboration in 2020 while Vietnam served as ASEAN Chair.
He expressed his belief that Brunei, as the Chair of CPR in 2021, will successfully complete tasks for 2021.
Vietnam will continue to work closely with the Brunei mission and the CPR as a whole to realise priorities and initiatives in 2021 during the ASEAN Chairmanship Year of Brunei, he pledged./.
VNA
