Myanmar Ambassador to ASEAN Aung Myo Myint (Photo: asean.org)

In an interview granted to VNA, Aung Myo Myint congratulated Vietnam on its leadership and management for successfully conducting the 37th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

ASEAN has to tackle the challenges of shifting regional geo-political and geo-economic dynamic as well as critical health and socio-economic issues. However, under Vietnam’s chairmanship, the grouping is tackling to address these challenges in order to ensure that the ASEAN Community building efforts remain on-track and in progress.

Vietnam has made progress in promoting its priorities, he said, lauding the country’s intensive efforts to advance the women, peace and security (WPS) agenda across the ASEAN region and around the world.

As the ASEAN Chair 2020, Vietnam takes the lead in coordinating regional response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ambassador went on.

The bloc’s multi-stakeholder, multi-sectoral and comprehensive approach to effectively respond to COVID-19 and future public health emergencies is coordinated by the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC), he said, highlighting the adoption of the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework (ACRF), the Implementation Plan and the establishment of COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund, and the ASEAN Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies (RRMS).

According to the ambassador, the conclusion and signing of the RCEP agreement is the most significant performance by ASEAN during this year amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

The signing will enhance business confidence, strengthen the regional economic architecture, and maintain the stability of the regional and global industry and supply chains, while demonstrating the region’s support for an open, inclusive and rules-based multilateral trading system.

Another significant outcome achieved by ASEAN this year is undertaking the mid-term reviews of three ASEAN Community Blue Prints and promoting ASEAN image and visibility.

Vietnam’s effort to keep ASEAN together during the difficult time is immeasurable, he stressed.

Geopolitical competition, economic resilience and transnational communicable diseases will still remain as challenges for ASEAN. Therefore, the theme of “Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN” selected by Vietnam is of great relevance to the need of today.

“ASEAN centrality would be more meaningful to our region if we could play a bigger role as a stabilising force, particularly by utilising the EAS, ARF and ADMM plus mechanisms, promoting greater trust and confidence among the participants,” the ambassador said.

ASEAN needs to continue fostering closer cooperation with dialogue partners to strengthen its engagement with the external parties and reach out to new potential partners who can contribute positively to ASEAN unity and solidarity as well as and ASEAN Community building efforts, he suggested.

“Myanmar believes that the post-2025 vision should be guided by the ASEAN Charter, the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation and the core principles of ASEAN that the founding fathers set out 53 years ago,” the ambassador said.

According to VNA, greater integration within and with its partners should not undermine the core principles and norms enshrined in key ASAEAN documents, he said, adding that these rules and norms will serve as an enabler for ASEAN to meaningfully exercise its centrality in the evolving regional architecture, raise its collective voice in addressing international issues and enhance its role in multilateral forums./.

Compiled by BTA