Vietnam chairs 15th consultation meeting of IAI Task Force - ASEAN partners
The meeting provided an opportunity to reaffirm both ASEAN member states' and partners’ commitment to strengthening cooperation and narrowing development gaps.
Permanent Representative of Vietnam to ASEAN Ambassador Ton Thi Ngoc Huong (second from right) chairs the meeting (Photo: VNA)
Jakarta (VNA) 🧸– Permanent Representative of Vietnam to ASEAN Ambassador Ton Thi Ngoc Huong chaired the 15th Consultation Meeting of the ASEAN Integration Initiative (IAI) Task Force - ASEAN Partners in Jakarta, Indonesia on August 11.
The meeting brought together all ASEAN dialogue partners, sectoral and development partners.
In her opening remarks, Ambassador Huong stressed that over the past 25 years, the IAI has remained one of ASEAN’s flagship initiatives, focusing on promoting inclusive regional integration and enhancing the capacities of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam (CLMV), and more recently Timor-Leste.
The meeting provides an opportunity to reaffirm both ASEAN member states' and partners’ commitment to strengthening cooperation and narrowing development gaps, which remain a challenge in building the ASEAN Community 2045 and advancing regional integration, she said.
ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General for Economic Community Satvinder Singh provided an update on the progress of the IAI Work Plan IV (2021–2025), which encompasses 114 projects worth a total of 24.8 million USD, with a 70.8% completion rate. ASEAN partners have supported 28 projects valued at 18.3 million USD, covering all five strategic areas: food and agriculture; trade facilitation; micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs); education; and health and well-being. The IAI Task Force thanked the partners’ contributions to narrowing development gaps through the initiative.
Partners commended the progress of the Work Plan IV (2021-2025) and Vietnam’s active role as Chair of the IAI Task Force in 2025. They vowed to assist ASEAN in realising the Work Plan IV, scheduled to conclude later this year.
The inclusion of Timor-Leste as an IAI beneficiary was warmly welcomed, with partners expressing optimism that its participation would bolster its journey toward full ASEAN membership while helping close development gaps with other member states./.
The Malaysian government is undertaking a structured assessment to examine the role of nuclear power as a potential option for clean, stable, and competitive electricity within Malaysia’s future energy mix.
It aims to identify and honour digital technology initiatives, products, and solutions with practical applications; promote creativity in technology development; anticipate trends and development potential in digital technology; and recognise the role of digital technology in economic growth and enhancing quality of life for citizens in ASEAN countries.
The handover ceremony was held at the Malaysian Embassy headquarters in Mexico City on August 8, with the presence of heads of diplomatic missions from ASEAN member states in Mexico.
On August 11, major RoK outlets, including Yonhap News Agency, KBS, The Korea Herald, and The Korea Times, provided prominent coverage of the talks held the same day between General Secretary Lam and President Lee Jae Myung, during which both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in economy, security, technology, and culture.
The Singaporean government needs to enable people, workers and businesses to make full use of these tools, and enhance their competitive advantage. It “will walk this journey” with Singaporeans as it has done for the past six decades, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
Thailand emits roughly 350 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent annually, with the energy and industrial sectors accounting for more than 75% of this amount. Though this volume represents just 1% of global emissions, the Thai Government is eager to achieve carbon neutrality, a balance between carbon dioxide emissions and absorption, by 2050.
Addressing the ceremony, Indonesian Ambassador Simon D.I. Soekamo, the rotating Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Cuba, highlighted the bloc's spirit of friendship and solidarity, and reaffirmed ASEAN's core values of peace, stability, and prosperity through cooperation and dialogue.
Vietnam’s pavilion notably displayed traditional crafts from the centuries-old lacquerware village of Ha Thai and Chu Dau ceramics. The atmosphere was further enriched by delegations wearing their countries’ traditional costumes, including the elegant ao dai and the graceful ao tu than of Vietnamese women.
Total trade between Indonesia and New Zealand in the first half of 2025 reached 963.23 million USD, an increase of 21.56% compared to 792.39 million USD in the same period last year. Of this amount, Indonesia's exports to New Zealand totaled 374.89 million USD, while imports 588.35 million USD
Malaysia, as ASEAN 2025 Chair, marked the bloc’s 58th founding anniversary on August 8 with a vibrant celebration in Cyberjaya, blending an official ceremony with a colorful cultural festival.
Vietnam plays an important role in Southeast Asia’s economic growth and is a key partner of her country in realising the shared vision of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region, said Robyn Mudie, First Assistant Secretary of Office of Southeast Asia (OSA) – Southeast Asia Regional and Mainland Division at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
The 2025 ASEAN Business Community Development (ABCD) Forum, themed “Empowering ASEAN's Next Leap: Digital, Sustainable & Entrepreneurial Transformation” brought together ministers, CEOs, and top industry experts to discuss key regional economic priorities.
The DES Ministry will seek cooperation from social media platforms to prevent the spread of fake news and monitor accounts related to such activities, he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the newly established Anti-Fake News Centre (AFNC).
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking identified the US tariff reduction as a significant driver behind the improved economic outlook for Thailand.
Financial institutions and financial technology (fintech) players are intensifying their focus on expanding across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adopting tailored strategies to strengthen their presence in the region’s digital financial services landscape.
Featuring a permanent exhibition area, the ASEAN Hall will function both as a cultural showcase and as a dynamic venue for ASEAN-related events and programmes. Its inauguration on ASEAN Day added symbolic weight, marking a fresh milestone in ASEAN–RoK relations.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce and rice exporters are devising strategic plans to boost rice exports amid global market fluctuations, focusing on key markets and adjusting output.
The focus of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October will be on strengthening economic relations through intra-regional trade and investment, as well as regional initiatives on energy networks and connectivity.
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.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
