ASEAN, Canada to strengthen cooperation under new Plan of Action
ASEAN and Canada reaffirmed commitment to strengthening cooperation under their new Plan of Action 2021-2025 in areas of mutual interests at the 9th ASEAN-Canada Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) Meeting via videoconference.
ASEAN, Canada to strengthen cooperation under new Plan of Action. - Illustrative image (Photo: //asean.org/)
Jakarta (VNA) – ASEAN and Canada reaffirmed commitment to strengtheningcooperation under their new Plan of Action 2021-2025 in areas of mutualinterests at the 9th ASEAN-Canada Joint Cooperation Committee(JCC) Meeting via videoconference.
💙 Bothsides highlighted the importance of continuing efforts to effectively implementthe new Plan of Action (2021-2025), adopted at the ASEAN-Canada MinisterialMeeting in September last year.
Inthis spirit, the meeting agreed to deepen collaboration in the areas of tradeand investment; micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) development; publichealth; innovation including entrepreneurship and start-ups; digital economy;education; gender equality; women, peace and security; and connectivity.
The meetinghighlighted the importance of collaboration towards post COVID-19 recovery, andensuring fair, equitable and global access of vaccines. ASEAN also welcomedCanada’s interest to contribute to the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund, as well ascooperation through initiatives such as the ASEAN Comprehensive RecoveryFramework.
ASEANalso appreciated Canada’s support to ASEAN Community building and integrationefforts through cooperation programmes such as; the Canada-ASEAN Scholarshipsand Educational Exchanges for Development (SEED); the Canada-OECD Project forASEAN SMEs (COPAS); and the “TRIANGLE in ASEAN initiative” to promote safe andfair labour migration.
💦 Movingforward, both sides underscored the significance of enhancing economicrelations and looked forward to advancing discussion on a possible ASEAN-CanadaFree Trade Agreement, which is also one of the priority economic deliverablesof Brunei Darussalam’s Chairmanship of ASEAN this year.
Takingnote that next year marks the 45th Anniversary of theASEAN-Canada Dialogue Partnership, Canada looked forward to engaging ASEAN onpotential commemorative events./.
ASEAN and Canada agreed to soon elevate their dialogue relationship to a Strategic Partnership during the ASEAN-Canada Ministerial Meeting held online on September 10 as part of the 53rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM-53).
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Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
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Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
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Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
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ASEAN, Canada to strengthen cooperation under new Plan of Action. - Illustrative image (Photo: //asean.org/) 
