Vietnam and Australia have officially take on the role of co-chairs of the Southeast Asia Regional Program (SEARP) under the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for the term 2022-2025 from Thailand and the Republic of Korea.
In his address at the second SEARP ministerial meeting on February 9 in Seoul, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son proposed three areas of cooperation to enhance the partnership between the OECD and ASEAN in the time ahead.
He suggested the OECD continue to support ASEAN and regional countries in their digital transformation process as well as in developing a low-carbon economy.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between ASEAN and the OECD was signed at the meeting. With 31 areas of cooperation, the MOU creates an important framework for strengthening the partnership between the two organizations in the future
On this occasion, Minister Son received Mathias Cormann, Secretary General of the OECD and Stanislav Rascan, Secretary of State, Acting Minister of Development Cooperation of Slovenia.
General Secretary Mathias Cormann congratulated Vietnam on its socio-economic development achievements and highly appreciated that Vietnam has been elected by SEARP members as Co-Chair of the SEARP Program.
He said he believes that with the role, position and prestige in the region, Vietnam and Australia will contribute to promoting the Program's activities.
The OECD Secretary-General also affirmed that the OECD and its member countries will continue to accompany Vietnam in joint efforts to boost economic recovery, transform growth models, promote digital transformation, and realize the goals of rapid and sustainable development.
Receiving Stanislav Rascan, Secretary of State, Acting Minister of Development Cooperation of Slovenia, the two sides pledged to step up the substantive multifaceted cooperation relationship between Vietnam and Slovenia, especially in trade and investment, boost closer coordination and offer mutual support at multilateral forums and mechanisms.
Source: VOV