Jakarta (VNA) - AmbassadorTran Duc Binh, head of Vietnam’s permanent mission to ASEAN, highlighted thecountry’s outstanding achievements during its 2020 ASEAN Chairmanship in arecent interview with the Vietnam News Agency.

The country chose “Cohesive & Responsive” asthe theme for ASEAN in 2020, with a view to helping build an ASEAN Communitythat is increasingly cohesive and stands firm in the face of regional andglobal events.

When the theme was unveiled, of course, no one knewthat COVID-19 was on its way and would have an intensive influence on nearly everythingworldwide.

However, he noted, the theme proved to be anappropriate choice and a vivid illustration of Vietnam’s creativity,proactiveness, and capacity for coordinating and leading the region’s common endeavours.

The diplomat noted that when COVID-19 firstbroke out, as ASEAN Chair, Vietnam took early action in coordinating actions ofother member states to perform the twin tasks of fighting the pandemic andpushing ahead with community building and the implementation of the bloc’spriorities for the year.

ASEAN has so far taken a multi-sectoral,multi-stakeholder, and “whole-of-ASEAN Community” approach to COVID-19prevention and control, adaptation, and recovery. It has also made use ofpartner countries’ active support and assistance for its pandemic response andrecovery efforts, the ambassador said.

COVID-19 response initiatives submitted orco-created by Vietnam, such as the ASEAN COVID-19 Response Fund, the RegionalReserve of Medical Supplies, the Strategic Framework for Public HealthEmergencies, and the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework, have been held inhigh regard for their practicality and usefulness in improving the bloc’s fightingcapacity and recovery.

With active support from Vietnam, ASEAN alsoagreed to consider setting up an ASEAN travel corridor to facilitate the movementof people between regional countries, Binh went on.

The diplomat held that although the bloc hasbeen greatly affected by the pandemic, in a “Cohesive & Responsive” spirit,it has shown its steadfastness, solidarity, unity, and sustained cooperation inresponding to the multi-dimensional challenges posed by the crisis, promotingthe ASEAN Community building process, ensuring the effective implementation ofcooperation priorities and targets, bringing into play its central role, andraising the bloc’s stature in the region.

It is worthy of note that in serving as bothChair of ASEAN in 2020 and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Councilfor 2020-2021, Vietnam has done well in connecting ASEAN priorities with theglobal agenda, thereby helping to affirm the bloc’s standing and centrality inthe region and the world, Binh told VNA.

He said ASEAN’s cooperation achievements thisyear bear the deep imprints of Vietnam, noting that the country’s initiatives,aimed at enhancing member states’ cooperation to step up ASEAN Communitybuilding and, especially, to shape the post-2025 ASEAN Community Vision, becamethe bloc’s initiatives carried out in 2020.

During the country’s chairmanship, the bloc’scooperation has been lifted to a higher and more substantive level, heaffirmed.

Amid numerous difficulties and challenges posed bythe COVID-19 pandemic, he went on, momentum for ASEAN Community building hasbeen maintained, with targets and plans set for 2020 basically fulfilled.ASEAN’s centrality has also been maintained, and the bloc has also played anincreasingly active role in promoting peace and preserving stability in theregion.

Fostering economic connectivity and multilateraltrade liberalisation is also an outstanding achievement of ASEAN this year, theambassador said, highlighting the signing of the Regional ComprehensiveEconomic Partnership (RCEP) at the 37th ASEAN Summit after eight years ofnegotiations.

He also pointed out many bright spots insocio-cultural respects this year, including developing high-quality humanresources, increasing social work, and raising common awareness about the ASEANCommunity’s identity.

ASEAN’s global stature has also been elevated.For the first time, the ASEAN Secretary-General spoke of ASEAN-UN cooperation withthe UN Security Council in early 2020 under an initiative of Vietnam,Ambassador Binh added.

In a trying year, Vietnam’s fulfilment of itsASEAN Chairmanship, especially the successful organisation of ASEAN summits andrelated events, has helped create a good impression of the country as an activeand responsible member that does its utmost for the bloc’s common targets,while demonstrating its efforts to lead ASEAN through challenges, uphold thebloc’s solidarity, and promote the ASEAN Community’s resilience anddevelopment, according to the ambassador./.