The 43rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) took place in Hanoi on July 19 along with 20 other related meetings to pave the way for the forthcoming 17th ASEAN Summit and underline the status of ASEAN in the region as well as the international arena.
The 43rd AMM and its related meetings will play a significant role as ASEAN is accelerating the process of building an ASEAN community by 2015. They confirm the necessity of gradually translating the ASEAN Charter into life and creating stronger ties within the bloc. The meetings will focus on cooperation programs to win assistance from partners to create the community and link up with partners to cope with global challenges such as natural disasters, epidemics, and climate change.
A series of important documents are expected to be signed during these meetings such as the protocol on modifying the Southeast AsiaTreaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC), and the Hanoi Action Program aimed at implementing the vision of the ASEAN Regional Forum until 2020. Others will include action programs in the future between ASEAN and countries such as Canada, New Zealand and India.
The 43rd AMM is scheduled to boost cooperation between Mekong Sub-regional countries and ASEAN’s partners. Noteworthy are the third Mekong-Japan Ministerial Meeting and the second US-Mekong Sub-region meeting.
The Mekong Sub-region has become an increasingly attractive destination for major global investors like Japan and the US. As president of ASEAN in 2010, Vietnam is actively joining other ASEAN members to step up cooperation within the sub-region by holding numerous activities on the fringes of the 2010 ASEAN Summit for the benefit of sub-regional countries in particular and ASEAN members in general.
The 17th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) will be attended by representatives of 10 ASEAN member countries, and 10 partner countries, plus some observing countries. Entitled ‘Promoting peace and security through dialogue and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific,’ the ARF will focus its discussions on measures to improve the efficiency of the ARF, including implementing the TAC, the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty (SEANWFZ), and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the Eastern Sea (DOC).
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will pay her fourth visit to East Asia within the framework of the 17th ARF, proving the importance of the Asia Pacific region, especially ASEAN, to the future of the US. She is expected to reiterate the US’s determination to strengthen its cooperation with ASEAN in various fields.
The ongoing 43rd AMM coincides with several activities to celebrate the 43rd anniversary of ASEAN on August 8, 1967, and the 15th anniversary of Vietnam’s accession to the bloc on July 28, 1995./.