The 19th ASEAN Telecommunications and Information Technology Ministers Meeting (TELMIN) and related meetings took place in Vientiane, Laos, on October 24 – 25 (Photo: VNA) Vientiane (VNA) – ASEAN ministers of telecommunications and information technology have affirmed the resolve to press on with initiatives and cooperation programmes to promote digital transformation in the region at their meeting in Vientiane, Laos.
The 19th ASEAN Telecommunications and Information Technology Ministers Meeting (TELMIN) and related meetings took place on October 24 – 25 under the theme “Smart Connectivity for ASEAN Digital Transformation”.
The officials highlighted the resolve to step up the implementation of initiatives and cooperation programmes to promote digital transformation in ASEAN, including reforming and changing the name of TELMIN into the ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Meeting to reflect the role of digital technologies as an enabler of digital transformation for other sectors.
They agreed to push ahead with developing the ASEAN digital master plan 2025, with a focus on initiatives and issues with great influence like digital data governance, cross-border data circulation, cyber security, international roaming, and digital innovation ecosystem.
The member countries will boost digital innovation via the issuance of policies and legal frameworks facilitating new technologies like the 5G network, Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and big data. They will also enhance people and businesses’ digital connectivity and access to accelerate the formation of the digital economy and society in the region.
Additionally, the ASEAN nations will enhance cooperation in cyber security, supporting initiatives, sharing information and early warnings, promoting online safety, and dealing with the abuse and dissemination of wrong and illegal information, according to the officials.
The meeting also approved cooperation programmes and projects for 2020 – 2021.
As part of the TELMIN, the ASEAN officials had separate meetings with dialogue partners, namely China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, the US, the European Union and the International Telecommunication Union.
Taking part in the event, the Vietnamese delegation, led by Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Thanh Hung, had bilateral working sessions with some ministers of other ASEAN countries and dialogue partners to share information and discuss cooperation for the coming time.
During the TELMIN, the ICT ASEAN Awards 2019 were announced.
Of the two Vietnam winners, ViettelStudy E-learning Social Network obtained the gold prize in the category of corporate social responsibility, while Hocmai.vn earned the silver prize in the digital content category./.
VNA
