(VOVWORLD) - The 37th ASEAN Summit and related meetings closed in Hanoi on Sunday. Activities held throughout the year have reflected ASEAN countries’ cohesive and responsive spirit amidst multiple upheavals around the world due to strategic conflicts and the COVID-19 pandemic.
 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc addresses the summit (Photo: nhandan.com.vn) |
ASEAN’s achievements in 2020 have been due to joint efforts by the community led by Vietnam as ASEAN Chair. Vietnam hosted several events online including the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and the ASEAN Summit with partners and international organizations. At the 37th ASEAN Summit, the final event of Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship Year, 20 activities were held and a record 80 documents were adopted.
Prompt initiatives
At the 37th ASEAN Summit and related meetings, leaders worked out several resolute measures to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenges. They set up the ASEAN COVID-19 Response Fund, the Strategic Framework for Emergency Public Health Response, the Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies, and the Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases. These initiatives reflected ASEAN’s vision and unity in coping with non-traditional security challenges.
At the summit, ASEAN adopted the Mid-term Review of ASEAN Community Vision 2025 Blueprints, the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025, the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework (ACRF), and plans for restoring and developing regional and global supply chains. These documents demonstrated ASEAN’s solidarity and desire to promote cooperation, narrow development gaps between regions and countries, and strengthen sub-region cooperation.
ASEAN leaders highlighted ASEAN’s centrality by signing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. Economist Vo Tri Thanh said: "This was a long-negotiated agreement. The agreement is a triumph of ASEAN’s development, connectivity and relations with its partners and other countries around the world."
ASEAN is determined to make the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea) a region of peace, stability, security, and safe navigation, Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung said: "We have achieved our set targets. All initiatives and priorities of the year were discussed and adopted at the summit paving the way for ASEAN countries to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and recover."
Vietnam’s important role
Upholding the theme “Cohesive and Responsive”, Vietnam has been flexible and proactive in converting challenges into opportunities during its ASEAN Chairmanship Year. Vietnam has promoted solidarity, strengthened regional connectivity, and cooperated with foreign partners to successfully organize meetings online. Sultan of Brunei Haji Hassanal Bolkiah said: “Brunei Darusalam will continue to build on Vietnam’s admirable work to advance regional recovery and community building efforts. As Chair in 2021, Brunei Darusalam will promote three fundamental areas inspired by ASEAN’s long history of development.”
 Caitlin Wiesen, UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam |
Caitlin Wiesen, UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam said: “The ASEAN business and investment summit is importance of engaging together to bridge the divide within ASEAN.. Some of the development divide that may exist. Come together partners in the recovery from the covid-19 which has been such a challenge and to look at ways in which businesses from the region can also reinforce from this effort. So I think it’s very creative, it’s very innovative and is been done with great grace, solidarity and also a demonstration of the cultural richness that exists within ASEAN.”
During 5 decades of development, ASEAN has proven the strength of solidarity, resilience, and responsiveness against challenges. The success of the 37th ASEAN Summit and related events and achievements in 2020 have proven that Vietnam is a responsible leader in dealing with ASEAN’s vital issues.