The Ministerial Meeting with ASEAN's dialogue partners is scheduled to take place on July 22, including the US, Canada, Russia, China, South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the European Union. In addition, the Philippines will also hold trilateral meetings with Brazil, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey. Within the framework of the conference, the host country Philippines will also hold a ceremony to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC).
Sharing with The World and Vietnam Newspaper (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Head of the Vietnamese Delegation to ASEAN, Ambassador Ton Thi Ngoc Huong said that the annual ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting plays an important role, as an opportunity for Ministers to discuss and promote the specific implementation of the orientations agreed upon by ASEAN Leaders from the beginning of the year, resolve arising issues that ASEAN needs to respond to, and at the same time, propose and recommend directions for cooperation for the next phase to report to ASEAN Leaders at the second high-level meeting of the year.
With that role, the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting will be even more meaningful in the first year ASEAN enters the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and in the context that ASEAN is striving to steer through the increasing fluctuations and uncertainties of the regional and international environment" - Ambassador Ton Thi Ngoc Huong shared.
According to the Head of the Vietnamese Delegation to ASEAN, at the conference, ASEAN Foreign Ministers will exchange and comprehensively assess emerging international and regional issues, thereby consolidating consensus and unifying ASEAN's common position. The Ambassador further shared that Ministerial Meetings between ASEAN and partners are also notable highlights at AMM sessions. These exchanges not only help enhance understanding and share views on issues of common concern, but also identify priority directions and areas of cooperation in the coming time. This year's conference will also consider and decide on a number of important contents related to expanding the association's partnership.
Ambassador Ton Thi Ngoc Huong revealed that Vietnam's contribution to ASEAN in general and at the 59th AMM Conference this time will focus on 2 main aspects: Strengthening solidarity, unity, ASEAN's central role, improving effective response capacity to emerging challenges; at the same time, strengthening substantive and effective cooperation within ASEAN and with partners, promoting regional linkage processes to support the development goals of each member country.
Vietnam will also continue to actively take on rotating tasks within ASEAN at the 59th AMM Conference, including the role of coordinating ASEAN - UK and ASEAN - New Zealand relations in the 2024-2027 period. In the coordinating role, Vietnam chairs negotiations on important documents including the ASEAN - UK Action Plan for 2027-2031, the ASEAN - UK Declaration on Cooperation within the ASEAN Vision for the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and the ASEAN - New Zealand Declaration on Enhancing Regional Resilience.
Implementing the goal of "Developing foreign affairs in the new era" of the 14th Congress, Vietnam's participation and contribution in ASEAN and at the series of AMM 59 Conferences will show a new image and mindset of Vietnam, commensurate with the historical, cultural and position of the country" - Ambassador Ton Thi Ngoc Huong emphasized.
