ASEAN Plus Three cooperation helps boost sustainable mining

Hanoi (VNA) - The 14th meeting between senior officials on minerals of the 10 ASEAN countries and China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (RoK) (ASOMM+3) was held via videoconference on October 7.

Nguyen Thanh Thao, Deputy Director of the Department of Science, Technology and International Cooperation under the General Department of Geology and Minerals of Vietnam, said that within the ASEAN+3 framework, many cooperation activities on mineral exploitation have been implemented and achieved remarkable results. The three partners have made proposals and provided specific support for master plans on mineral exploitation in Southeast Asia.

Accordingly, the countries have discussed, agreed on and carried out cooperation measures, such as the ASEAN Geopark Programme and a mining award programme in the ASEAN community, to promote the effective management in the region towards environmental protection and sustainable development.

In the coming time, ASEAN+3 countries need to support the region’s mining industry to recover and develop after the COVID-19 pandemic, maintain and strengthen the connectivity of mineral product supply chains in a sustainable and complementary manner, intensify financial cooperation, make use of science and technology advances, and mobilise private investment in cooperation in infrastructure development, green finance and human resource development in the mining industry, stressed Thao.

According to Le Quoc Hung, deputy head of the General Department of Geology and Minerals of Vietnam, over the years, Vietnam's mining industry has demonstrated its role and position in national socio-economic development, and is getting closer to the level of developed countries.

In addition, the sector has actively contributed to the implementation of the Party's guidelines and the Government's directions on external affairs related to the protection and sustainable development of natural resources and minerals, and to promoting international cooperation in bilateral and multilateral frameworks, he said.

Organisations and individuals exploiting and processing minerals in Vietnam have operated effectively with the use of high technology and modern and advanced mining equipment in order to use minerals rationally, economically and effectively, and protect the environment for the purpose of sustainable development. This has shown the active and positive role of Vietnam, and helped enhance the country's position within the ASEAN+3 framework and in the world.

Through this conference, the Vietnamese representative expressed his wish to continue promoting ASEAN+3 connectivity, improving adaptability and taking advantage of opportunities of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, with a focus on extensive economic linkage and comprehensive connectivity, and efforts to narrow the development gap, build high-quality human resources in mining.

Ito Yusuke, deputy head of the Minerals and Mining Department under the Japanese Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, said that Japan wishes to maintain its cooperation with ASEAN countries to promote the development of the mineral industry in accordance with specific characteristics of each country.

Within the framework of the conference, Shamsul Shahril Badliza bin Mohd Noor, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of Malaysia, introduced the ASEAN Minerals Cooperation Action Plan 2016 - 2025 (AMCAP -III) - Phase 2 (2021-2025) which has just been approved by the 21st ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Minerals (ASOMM 21) on October 6.

Accordingly, the second phase of AMCAP-III aims to promote mineral cooperation to create an advanced and progressive ASEAN mineral industry for the bloc’s socio-economic and environmental prosperity through increasing trade, strengthening cooperation and improving capacity for sustainable mineral development in the region.

At the meeting, with the development of a new cooperation plan for 2022-2025, participating countries showed their commitment to pursuing policy improvements in the mineral value chain and sustainable mineral governance, and building an effective ASEAN mineral database to facilitate investment in mineral exploration and development in the region./.