Jakarta (VNA) – The 38th and 39th ASEAN Summits and relatedsummits have affirmed the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)'s central role, while giving chances to the bloc to have a voice in regional and international issues, accordingto Ambassador Nguyen Hai Bang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to ASEAN.

Speaking to Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s correspondents in Jakarta,Bang said that the events are taking place in a special context with complicateddevelopments both inside and outside the region.

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen no signs of decline, while the situation inMyanmar has remained unstabled since early 2021, and many new politicaldevelopments in the world have affected international relations and thegeopolitical situation in the Asia-Pacific region, the ambassador noted.

He said that major focuses of 10 ASEAN member countriesduring the summits include measures to bring the region out from COVID-19 in afastest way. They have reached consensus on approach to the pandemic fight andare seeking a common voice in a mechanism of vaccine distribution so that allcountries can get the vaccines in an equal, fast and effective manner, Bang said.

The diplomat said that the association has decided to spend10 million USD from the ASEAN COVID-19 Response Fund to buy vaccines through UNICEF to provide for people in ASEAN countries and the ASEAN Secretariat's staff in2022.

Regarding post-pandemic economic recovery, ASEAN leaderspaid great attention to recovering tourism and ensuring smooth trade and travelactivities for entrepreneurs and people through the opening of green and safe corridors,he said.

Bang said that they have also focused on strengthening connectivityin infrastructure, transport and tourism, as well as smoother import-exportprocedures and digital connectivity.

Other focuses of the events were the intra-bloc issues andthe building of a strong Commnity as well as the maintenance of solidarity,unity and central role of the bloc in the shaping regional economic andsecurity architecture, he said.

Bang said that this year, Vietnam has worked closely with other ASEAN countriesin implementing initiatives put forth in 2020 under the ASEAN Chairmanship ofVietnam, including narrowing the development gap within the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI), and improving the competitiveness of ASEAN in theworld. This year, Vietnam plays the role as the Chair of the IAI Task Force.

Vietnam has conducted consultations with many partners and ministries and sectorsof ASEAN member countries to build a model for the project to narrow the development gap, while adding some new contents to the IAI, including thescaling down of gaps among sub-regions to optimise resources from sub-regionalcooperation frameworks, he said, adding that in November, Vietnam is scheduledto host a ASEAN high-level forum on sub-regional cooperation towards sustainabledevelopment and inclusive growth in the region.

This year, Bang said, the Vietnamese Permanent Missionto ASEAN has engaged in the negotiations of a series of draft documents andjoint statements. It has coordinated with the Committee of PermanentRepresentatives to ASEAN (CPR), partner countries and the ASEAN Secretariat to build a plan toimplement the IAI in the 2021-2025 period, and called on partners to continue supporting the scheme, he said. The mission is also taking the role as theChair of the Board of Trustees of the ASEAN Foundation and isworking to promote cultural exchange and popularise ASEAN's image to theworld, he added./.