A special session of the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) took place in the central city of Da Nang on March 4 to discuss orientations for building ASEAN Vision after 2025.

Participants at the session (Photo: VNA)

Orientations for building ASEAN Community Vision after 2025 will be linked to the mid-term review process of the implementation of master plans for realising the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, and continuously promote efforts in the tenure of Thailand in 2019 and the research results of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) on the ASEAN Vision 2040.

Participants from ASEAN countries said that they supported the proposal, saying that in the context of rapid change in the world and the region, ASEAN needs to have development orientations to effectively adapt to opportunities and challenges.

They discussed and shared their opinions and initial ideas for the development of the ASEAN Community after 2025.

Addressing the event, Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung emphasised that building the ASEAN Vision after 2025 is a long-term process and requires a holistic approach with the extensive contribution of all stakeholders.

Participants said that the building of a new Vision should ensure core principles and values of ASEAN; inherit and promote the achievements that ASEAN has obtained; uphold the active role of the bloc in responding to changes in the world and the region; bring into full play ASEAN’s identity and take ASEAN closer to people; reinforce ASEAN's central role in the regional architecture, and strengthen the group's international position.

Discussion results at the meeting is a basis for further consultations before being submitted to ASEAN leaders for consideration at the 37th ASEAN Summit in November.