A Vietnamese delegation, headed by Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Thanh Hung, is attending the two meetings on telecommunications and information technology (ICT) in the Malaysian capital city of Kuala Lumpur .

The 10th ASEAN Telecommunications and Information Technology Ministers Meeting (TELMIN) and the 11th ASEAN Telecommunications and Information Technology Senior Officers Meeting (TELSOM) kicked off on Jan. 13 and drew the participation of over 300 representatives of the ICT sector from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its dialogue countries, including China, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

The meetings this year are aimed at summing up ICT achievements and appraising operations and the management role of the ICT ASEAN Fund. The 10 th TELMIN also seeks to adopt and launch the ICT ASEAN Masterplan which will chart the region's ICT development for ASEAN to become a more cohesive bloc.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said with over 78 percent of the ASEAN population using ICT in different fields, the sector has generated over 11.7 million jobs and contributed 3 percent to the gross domestic products (GDP).


During the events, ministers acknowledged that ICT is not only a factor helping to speed up regional economies but also a potential tool to boost competitiveness in the global economy.

On the occasion, Malaysia and Vietnam officially handed over the director and deputy director positions of the ICT ASEAN Fund to Myanmar and the Philippines .

As deputy director of the ICT ASEAN Fund, Vietnam actively guided country members to give proposals and implement projects while performing well in managing financial resources raised by the members, said Nguyen Thanh Nam, a Vietnamese delegate.

Malaysia and Vietnam are taking the lead in the ICT sector in the region, Nam said.

TELMIN is held annually to bolster information and communications ties in the region while TELSOM meets at least once a year to share information and experiences in promulgating policies effectively./.