Vientiane (VNA) – ASEAN ministers oftelecommunications and information technology have affirmed the resolve topress on with initiatives and cooperation programmes to promote digitaltransformation in the region at their meeting in Vientiane, Laos.

The 19th ASEAN Telecommunications andInformation Technology Ministers Meeting (TELMIN) and related meetings tookplace on October 24 – 25 under the theme “Smart Connectivity for ASEAN DigitalTransformation”.

The officials highlighted the resolve to step upthe implementation of initiatives and cooperation programmes to promote digitaltransformation in ASEAN, including reforming and changing the name of TELMINinto the ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Meeting to reflect the role of digitaltechnologies as an enabler of digital transformation for other sectors.

They agreed to push ahead with developing theASEAN digital master plan 2025, with a focus on initiatives and issues withgreat influence like digital data governance, cross-border data circulation,cyber security, international roaming, and digital innovation ecosystem. 

The member countries will boost digitalinnovation via the issuance of policies and legal frameworks facilitating newtechnologies like the 5G network, Internet of Things, artificial intelligenceand big data. They will also enhance people and businesses’ digitalconnectivity and access to accelerate the formation of the digital economy andsociety in the region.

Additionally, the ASEAN nations will enhancecooperation in cyber security, supporting initiatives, sharing information andearly warnings, promoting online safety, and dealing with the abuse anddissemination of wrong and illegal information, according to the officials.

The meeting also approved cooperation programmesand projects for 2020 – 2021.

As part of the TELMIN, the ASEAN officials hadseparate meetings with dialogue partners, namely China, Japan, the Republic ofKorea, India, the US, the European Union and the InternationalTelecommunication Union.

Taking part in the event, the Vietnamesedelegation, led by Deputy Minister of Information and Communications NguyenThanh Hung, had bilateral working sessions with some ministers of other ASEANcountries and dialogue partners to share information and discuss cooperationfor the coming time.

During the TELMIN, the ICT ASEAN Awards 2019were announced. 

Of the two Vietnam winners, ViettelStudyE-learning Social Network obtained the gold prize in the category of corporatesocial responsibility, while Hocmai.vn earned the silver prize in the digitalcontent category./.