The 11th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Minerals (ASOMM 11) opened in Hanoi on Dec. 7, aiming for unanimity on plans and new initiatives on cooperation among regional countries.

In his opening speech, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Nguyen Linh Ngoc stressed significant progress over the past 10 ASEAN meetings on minerals with the implementation of multilateral programmes and projects on minerals.

The meetings served as a foundation for continued development of regional cooperation and helped ASEAN member countries to be closer, said the Vietnamese official.

The ASOMM 11’s results are expected to create an impetus for countries to closely cooperate, share information, knowledge and experience, helping the mineral sector develop a leading industry in each country’s socio-economic development.

Discussions at the meeting focus on sustainable development and use of minerals, acceleration of trade and investment relating to minerals, policies and norms for mining activities, enhancement of capacity and institutions in geology and minerals, promotion of ASEAN private dialogue forums on minerals and cooperation at regional and international forums on minerals.

According to Linh, Vietnam will propose some initiatives at the event such as the approval of the action plan for ASEAN cooperation on minerals, enhancement of capacity on mineral research, survey and assessment, international cooperation on management, protection, study and survey on sea geology and minerals, the sharing of geological and mineral samples and publications, study and survey on mineral gas, and a mineral information sharing mechanism.

The fourth ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Minerals with China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ASOMM+3), the third ASEAN Ministers’ Meeting on Minerals (AMMIN) and related meetings will take place on Dec. 8-9 in Hanoi. /.