Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, scheduled to preside over the opening ceremony, will be joined online by leaders from the other ASEAN member states, according to a statement published on the official website of the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Thursday.
“Vietnam's chairmanship of ASEAN this year has been exemplary. In spite of having to deal with its domestic COVID-19 challenges and natural disasters, Vietnam has provided able leadership in keeping the region cohesive and responsive to these challenges, placing ASEAN Centrality and the people’s interest at the core," Secretary-General of ASEAN Lim Jock Hoi stated.
High on the 37th ASEAN Summit agenda is the leaders’ discussion and approval of the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework and its Implementation Plan that will serve as the whole-of-community exit strategy to recover and build back better from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Further discussions will be held on the ASEAN Travel Corridor Arrangement that will facilitate the safe reopening of essential business travel in the region.
As the ASEAN Chair, Prime Minister Phuc is also expected to announce the recipient of the ASEAN Prize 2020.
Launched in 2018, the ASEAN Prize aims to recognize inspiring achievements and contributions of an individual or organization that fosters the ASEAN identity, promotes the ASEAN spirit, and champions the ASEAN way.
The ASEAN leaders will also meet with their counterparts from ASEAN’s dialogue partners during a series of ASEAN Plus One summits.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ASEAN leaders, under Vietnam’s Chairmanship, had earlier met over three cyber summits in 2020: the Special ASEAN Summit and Special ASEAN Plus Three Summit on April 14 and the 36th ASEAN Summit on June 26.
Brunei Darussalam will assume the ASEAN Chairmanship for 2021.
ASEAN was founded in Bangkok, Thailand, on August 8, 1967, when the five founding members -- Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand -- signed the ASEAN Declaration.
Since then, the ASEAN has expanded and enlarged its membership with the inclusion of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
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Reporter: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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