Vietnam to host 13th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Environment
Vietnam will host the 13th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Environment and related meetings from October 26-30, which are of significant importance as the formation of the ASEAN Community is nearing.
Participants pose for photo at the 15th Informal ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment in Vientiane last October (Photo: VNA)
Vietnam will host the 13th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Environment (AMME-13) and related meetings from October 26-30, which are of significant importance as the formation of the ASEAN Community is nearing.
The cooperation in the field of environment has received attention by the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) since an early date. The bloc compiled the first ASEAN Sub-regional Environment Programme (ASEP I) in 1977, and in 1989, two new mechanisms were launched in the field, which were the ASEAN Senior Officials on Environment (ASOEN) Meeting and the AMME.
The AMME is convened every three years to decide the bloc’s strategy and policies on ASEAN cooperation in environment-related issues. The first AMME was held in Manila, the Philippines, on April 30, 1981. ASEAN members will host the event on a rotary basis.
On the sidelines of the AMME, other meetings such as the AMME+3 and East Asia Summit-AMME meetings are held to promote collaboration in the field between ASEAN and its partners and dialogue partners.
The ASEAN Vision beyond 2015 has defined the goal for a green and clean ASEAN Community with adequate mechanisms serving sustainable development in order to ensure environmental protection in the region, the sustainability of natural resources and high life quality of each citizen.
ASEAN environment ministers have established a working group on Environmental Education and adopted an ASEAN action plan on environmental education (AEEAP) for the 2014-2018 period with a view of promoting sustainable development via education and increase the public’s engagement in environmental issues.
An ASEAN Regional Centre for Biodiversity Conservation (ARCBC) has been set up with financial support of the European Union, with the task of strengthening regional collaboration in the field while serving as the coordinator for connectivity among related agencies of ASEAN member states and EU partners.
In 2008, the ASEAN built guidelines on marine water quality management and monitoring manual with the goal of improving member countries’ capacity in implementing the ASEAN water resources standards.
ASEAN has also built and implemented a working plan to carry out the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution. The ministers have also agreed to submit a proposal on a Haze Supevision Mechanism to ASEAN leaders for approval.
The 12th AMME, held in Bangkok, Thailand in 2012, adopted the Bangkok Declaration on ASEAN Environmental Cooperation, which reiterated the resolve and commitment of member nations to further push forward with the cooperation in the field towards a green and clean ASEAN, a balance between economic growth and social development and sustainable environment, while continuing to work closely with the bloc’s partners to respond to emerging global environmental challenges.
Besides other agreements, the AMME-12 approved an ASEAN action plan on coping with climate change initiated by Vietnam.-VNA
The ASEAN Economic Ministers convened consultations with the bloc’s dialogue partners in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on August 23, agreeing to reinforce economic connectivity between the two sides.
The 10th Senior Officials Meeting on Health Development (SOMHD) and related events opened in Da Lat city in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong on September 14.
The 5 th informal China-ASEAN defence ministers’ meeting took place in Beijing on October 16, with both sides affirming the wish to strengthen defence cooperation.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
The ASEAN flag-hoisting ceremony is observed by the 10 ASEAN member countries on August 8 every year, aiming to spread and promote the ASEAN identity and affirm the determination to unite and cooperate for the common aspiration of long-term peace and prosperity of Southeast Asian countries under the common roof of the ASEAN Community.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong highlighted ASEAN’s nearly six decades of development, during which the region transformed from division to harmony, from confrontation to cooperation, and from poverty to dynamic growth, becoming a global bright spot for regional cooperation.
Participants pose for photo at the 15th Informal ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment in Vientiane last October (Photo: VNA)
