Hanoi (VNA) -🌸 Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah ofBrunei, Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2021, on October 26 welcomed the bloc's progress in thefight against the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recovery.

Speaking at the 38th ASEAN Summit, theBrunei Sultan emphasised that ASEAN has made strides in building the ASEANCommunity and coping with the ongoing pandemic. Concerted efforts by theorganisation play a significant role in the region’s future in the current fastchanging world, he said. ASEAN has continued to create optimal conditions foryoung people to become more dynamic and resilient via knowledge and skill development,he said, adding that ASEAN has set up a scholarship programme for ASEAN youths, to which Brunei will contribute funds for the next 10 years. The Sultan highly valued ASEAN’s effortsin protecting vulnerable groups through the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework(ACRF). At the 39th ASEAN Summit, theSultan hailed remarkable progress by ASEAN in enhancing cooperation withpartners, stressing the need to expand efforts in theCOVID-19 fight and preparing for the future. ASEAN-led processes are considered the best way for the bloc to resolve issues of common concerns, he said. The Sultanalso welcomed the UKs becoming the first dialogue partner of ASEAN in the past two decades. He underlined thatthe organisation needs to maintain an open, comprehensive and rules-based regionalstructure with ASEAN playing a central role, thereby promoting partnerships and takinginto account partners’ contributions to ASEAN-led processes./.