ASEAN, UN secretariats seek strengthened collaboration

Jakarta (VNA) – The Secretariats of ASEAN and the United Nations (UN) reaffirmed their commitment towards strengthening their cooperation to help build a more peaceful and prosperous society at a recent meeting in Jakarta.

During the 7th Secretariat-to-Secretariat Meeting in Jakarta, the two sides agreed that cooperation to promote regional and international peace and security is a key feature of the ASEAN-UN Comprehensive Partnership and this includes UN’s contribution to activities within ASEAN-led mechanisms namely the ASEAN Regional Forum.

Participants to the event discussed key areas of common priorities highlighted by ASEAN and the UN, they include the promotion of human rights; connectivity and integration; economy and development; food and energy security; attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and narrowing the development gap.

Other issues such as human development and social welfare; environment; climate change and disaster risk management; as well as culture and education were also on the table.

The issue of terrorism and violent extremism was also specifically highlighted at the event following the recent terrorist attacks in Brussels, Lahore, Istanbul, Ankara and Jakarta.

The two sides underlined the need to improve coordination to deal effectively with growing global challenges and agreed to double their efforts to ensure a more coordinated and systematic approach in this partnership.

They highlighted the importance of the ASEAN Vision 2025 and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which were adopted by ASEAN at the end 2015 and by the UN General Assembly in September 2015 respectively.

The meeting noted the importance of aligning the new Plan of Action (2016-2020) to the blueprints of these two guiding documents. Both sides look forward to the finalisation and adoption of the Plan of Action.-VNA