ASEAN ambassadors in South Africa have spoken highly of Vietnam’s enthusiasm and efforts in ensuring strong performance of ASEAN Pretoria Committee (APC) over the past six months in the role of the APC Chair.

During an APC regular meeting on June 27 to assess the committee’s operation during the first six months of 2014 and discuss future action plans, Vietnamese Ambassador to South Africa Le Huy Hoang, who is also the APC Chairman, reported that the committee had promoted collaborative research activities on South Africa and the region’s situation, held meetings with the host country’s leaders to discuss measures to boost ASEAN-South Africa relations, and organised a range of cultural and tourism events to promote ASEAN products in the country.

ASEAN ambassadors emphasising the positive effect of APC activities in promoting solidarity with and strengthening ASEAN's image in the host country, as well as in facilitating relations between ASEAN as a whole and each ASEAN member state with South Africa.

In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency correspondents in South Africa, Singaporean High Commissioner Bernard William Baker, who is also the chairman of the Asian ambassadors’ board in Pretoria, praised the contributions of the Vietnamese Ambassador to the success of APC’s various activities.

He suggested the APC adhere to its goals to ensure that ASEAN continues to receive attention and support from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation and other related agencies of South Africa.-VNA