Khanh Hoa (VNA) – The 35th ASEAN Social Security Association (ASSA) Board Meetingwrapped up on September 19, after two days of working, in Nha Trang city, in thecentral province of Khanh Hoa.

ASSA members, for thefirst time, adopted a joint statement manifesting the association’s common viewpointsand perceptions, with a unanimous agreement on the objective and orientation forsocial security cooperation in the region.

The document affirmedthe association’s commitment to fostering a united social security community onthebasis of consensus that would develop in the best interests of the people, aswell as for stability and development in the region.

Thiswill be the orientation of ASSA activities in the coming time and is in linewith the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 which was signed at the 27th ASSA Summitin Kuala Lumpur, Indonesia in 2015.

At the pressconference after the meeting, Nguyen Thi Minh, President of ASSA for the2018-2019 term, said that in order to realise the joint statement, the ASSA  will continue to strengthen internalconnectivity towards a prosperous, civilised, and developed ASEAN.

The ASSA will work outan action plan suitable for the association’s orientation and relevant to eachmember state, especially in the context of the FourthIndustrial Revolution andthe free flow of labour, said Minh, who is also Deputy Minister and Director Generalof the Vietnam Social Security (VSS).

In answer to theVietnam News Agency’s question regarding improving the efficiency of experiencesharing among ASSA members amidst the differences in social security systems,ASSA Secretary General Dao Viet Anh said that while the differences arechallenges, they also create opportunities for ASSA members to cooperate formutual development.

Over the past 20 years, ASSA members have well implemented the association’scommon principle for the sake of people, Anh noted, adding that despite thedifferences, cooperation among ASSA members has been effective.

“What the VSS hasachieved is the sector’s efforts and is the result of experience sharing withregional countries,” said Anh, who is also Deputy Director General of the VSS.

Suradej Waleeittikul, ASSA President for the 2017-2018 term, said that ASSA 35received the valuable cooperation from the VSS. He said he hopes that ASSA willmake a lot of progress and receive the full support of the Vietnamese member.

“We will have more members and providedecent jobsfor our citizens,” he added.

Regarding the ASSA’sinternational cooperation activities in the future, Nguyen Tien Thanh, head of theVSS International Cooperation Department, said the expansion of cooperationwith other international social security organisations was also one of the fiveinitiatives affirmed at the VSS’recently finished meeting and was welcomed byASSA members.

“ASSA Secretariat willwork out a detailed plan to implement the initiative towards building a modernand sustainable social security system,” he said.

The ASSA was found in 1998 following the signing of a Memorandum ofAgreement in Bangkok, Thailand on February 13 that year, involving heads of socialsecurity institutions from five countries - the Philippines, Indonesia,Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Representatives from Laos and Vietnam alsoattended the signing ceremony as observers. Later the year, the VSS becamea member of ASSA.

The association was formed to promote the development of social security in theregion in consonance with the aspirations, laws and regulations of the membercountries, promote regional cooperation in all areas of social security andexchange experience and information on social security.

It works in cooperation with other social security institutions in the regionand East Asia, and with similar or related organisations of social security inany part of the world. It cooperates in the protection, promotion and developmentof social security schemes through training, seminars, consultations anddialogues, among others.

ASSA members now comprise 19 social security institutions from ten ASEANnations.-VNA