Vietnam hands over Chairmanhip of ASEAN Committee in Bern to Philippines
The Vietnamese Embassy in the Switzerland, as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Bern (ACB), has hosted the fifth meeting of the committee in 2020 to review the working term of Vietnam as the chair of the committee and hand over the role to the Philippine Embassy.
Geneva (VNA) – The Vietnamese Embassy in theSwitzerland, as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Bern (ACB), has hosted thefifth meeting of the committee in 2020 to review the working term of Vietnam asthe chair of the committee and hand over the role to the Philippine Embassy.
The meeting brought together ambassadors and representatives fromthe Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar in Bern and Geneva.
Participants at the meeting discussed a report summarisingVietnam’s activities in the last six months of 2020 when Vietnam played therole as the chair of the committee.
They lauded the efforts, dynamism andcreativity of Vietnam in holding many in-person and online meetings and activities,as well as the country’s successes in keeping effective coordinating relationswith the Swiss Foreign Ministry and Parliament’s External Relations Committee aswell as pharmaceuticals firm Novartis.
They expressed their hope that Vietnam will continue coordinatewith the Philippines in realising initiatives and activities of the ACB in thefuture when the COVID-19 pandemic is totally controlled.
Regarding Vietnam’s recommendations relating to the ACB’s majoractivities amid the developments of the pandemic, they agreed on the need towork closely together in implementing the joint plan of the committee in thefollowing terms, while concentrating on activities to enhance the image of theASEAN in Switzerland.
The activities should focus on economic and medicalcooperation between the association and local authorised agencies, as well as enhancing the use of digital technology, thus increasing onlinemeetings between the ACB and local partners to raise awareness and promotewin-win partnerships as well as mutual understanding between Switzerland and theASEAN.
Within the meeting’s framework, Vietnamese Ambassador Le LinhLan officially handed over the Chairmanship of the ACB to PhilippineAmbassador Denis Lepatan./.
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Participants at the meeting (Photo: VNA)
