Vietnam attends regional ministerial meetings

At the 12th ACD Ministerial Meeting, delegates from 33 member countries stressed the role of the forum as an important mechanism to boost mutual trust, understanding and partnerships among Asian nations. They put forth measures to foster regional cooperation such as trans-Asia transport infrastructure connectivity, energy cooperation enhancement, acceleration of bilateral regional and free trade agreements, facilitation of trade, investment and business activities, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, technological transfer, poverty reduction, climate change adaptation, food and water resource security, terrorism and piracy prevention, and maritime security. Addressing the event, Deputy Minister Nga emphasised the role of the ACD in promoting dialogue and cooperation and building mutual trust to together overcome common development challenges. She proposed cooperation orientations for the forum in tourism, transport connectivity, trade and investment promotion, natural disaster prevention, effective use and sustainable management of water resources. She affirmed Vietnam's commitment to strengthening cooperation with other member countries for peace, prosperity and development. The meeting adopted the Manama Joint Declaration themed "Promoting Asia Tourism Cooperation", which features orientations to boost ACD cooperation in a more practical and effective manner, and support initiatives and proposals on all-Asia connectivity through new silk roads linking Asia and Europe. The 13th ACD meeting is scheduled for next year in Saudi Arabia. At the third ASEAN-GCC Ministerial Meeting, delegates hailed the progress in bilateral ties over the past time, especially the positive outcomes of cooperation activities set under the 2010-2012 Action Plan and the ASEAN-GCC Declaration on Vision which was adopted in 2009. They urged both sides to tap cooperation potential to the fullest, while pushing forward result-orientated coordination. According to them, it is necessary to focus all possible resources on fostering bilateral cooperation in the priority fields of economics, trade, investment, culture, education, science, farming, foodstuff, energy and tourism. Simultaneously, they should work together at multilateral forums to better deal with global challenges like calamities, disease epidemics, terrorism, cyber and drug crimes and money laundering. Ministers shared the view that ASEAN and GCC should strengthen collaboration for peace and stability in the each and the world at large. They condemned violence, terrorism piracy that have threatened maritime security and safety and global trade. Therefore, joint efforts to protect security along sea straits and maritime routes that foreign vessels travel are necessary, they said. Deputy Minister Nga shared opinions on promoting ASEAN-GCC cooperation in a practical manner. She stressed the necessity to boost trade and economic cooperation by establishing an ASEAN-GCC business council, organising trade and investment promotion fairs, and setting up a portal to support businesses of both sides. She also suggested speeding up connectivity cooperation, especially via private-public partnerships; enhancing cultural and people-to-people exchanges to increase mutual understanding; and promoting cooperation in banking, finance, science-technology, energy and food security. She affirmed Vietnam's policy of creating favourable conditions for GCC enterprises to do business in the country, and hoped to increase cooperation with these countries in trade, investment, labour and tourism.

(Source: VNA)