ASEAN discusses priorties of Indonesia's ASEAN Chairmanship in 2023
The ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM), convened on May 8 in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia, discussed the priorities of Indonesia's ASEAN Chairmanship in 2023 as well as preparations for the ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting and the 42nd ASEAN Summit.
Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi chairs the 33rd ASEAN Coordinating Council meeting in Labuan Bajo on May 9 (Photo:asean.org)
Jakarta (VNA) - The ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM), convened on May 8in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia, discussed the priorities of Indonesia's ASEANChairmanship in 2023 as well as preparations for the ASEAN foreign ministers'meeting and the 42nd ASEAN Summit.
Director Generalfor ASEAN Cooperation and SOM Leader for Indonesia Sidharto RezaSuryodipuro said that ASEAN's external relations, such as the accessionapplication of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, includingby Saudi Arabia, Panama, and Spain, were also discussed at SOM.
Sidhartorevealed that plans for the ASEAN-Canada Summit, ASEAN Gulf CooperationCouncil, and ASEAN Shared Civilization Values Conference were also discussedduring the meeting.
In addition to SOM, the ASEAN Coordinating Council Working Groupon Timor-Leste meeting was also convened. Both meetings were attended by the ASEAN member countries, including Timor-Leste as a member in principle,as well as Myanmar with a non-political representative.
Regarding Timor-Leste's membership, Sidharto said that a roadmaphas been discussed, which includes important elements such as legalinstruments, financial contribution schemes, and strengthening the capacity ofTimor-Leste's civil servants in order to prepare the country for fullparticipation in ASEAN.
Indonesia's priorities and shared interests with ASEAN were discussed at the foreign ministers' meeting on May 9, before being discussed at the 42nd ASEAN Summit in 2023 to be held on May 10-11./.
Ambassador Vu Ho, acting head of the ASEAN Senior Officials' (SOM) delegation of Vietnam, joined his counterparts from other regional countries in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia on May 8 to discuss preparations for the 42nd Summit of the bloc.
The Indonesian Ministry of Transportation ensures that regular flights to and from Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai district, East Nusa Tenggara province, will continue to be operated during the 42nd ASEAN Summit from May 9-11.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh left Hanoi on May 9 morning for the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Indonesia, at the invitation of Indonesian President and Chairman of the Summit Joko Widodo.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi chairs the 33rd ASEAN Coordinating Council meeting in Labuan Bajo on May 9 (Photo:asean.org) 
