VOV.VN - The Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs hosted a conference in Ho Chi Minh City on May 31 reviewing the implementation of Project 161 on carrying out goals set by the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) until 2025.

In her address, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha expressed her appreciation for ministries, agencies, and localities’ commitment to fulfilling the ASCC’s goals across multiple fields.

She admitted that liaison between localities with ministries and agencies in this regard remains limited, while human resource for the project is still insufficient. 

Ha said she hopes that cooperation activities will help build a people-centred and socially responsible ASEAN Community, towards reinforcing unity among member countries and improving their local lives. 

Former Deputy Secretary General of ASEAN for ASCC Vongthep Arthakaivalvatee hailed Vietnam’s role and responsibility in achieving the ASEAN Community’s common goals, with its specific action plans.

Ambassador Pham Quang Vinh, former Deputy Foreign Minister and former head of the Vietnamese delegation to the Senior Officials’ Meeting of ASEAN (SOM ASEAN), called for people in ASEAN Community, and Vietnam in particular to raise their awareness about the ASCC. 

He underlined the need to enhance ASEAN’s central role towards building an environment of peace and security in the region amid intense global trade competition and challenges in security, energy, and climate change.

Three years since the launch of Project 161, community-building activities have helped boost administrative reform and policies on social welfare, labour, employment, healthcare, education, and gender equality, the ministry said.

Public involvement in environmental protection, climate change response, and preservation of cultural characteristics have been promoted through various programmes, it added.