Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Bình Minh speaking at the OECD Southeast Asia Ministerial Forum 2022 in Hà Nội on Monday. —VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Southeast Asia Ministerial Forum 2022 opened in Hà Nội on Monday under the chair of Việt Nam and Australia. 

With the theme "Connecting Regions: Partnerships for Resilient and Sustainable Supply Chains", the forum explored how OECD and ASEAN countries can improve supply chain resilience to better protect against future shocks and help build the foundations for a greener and digital future. 

It provided an opportunity for ministers and high-level participants from OECD and ASEAN countries to discuss the practical measures ASEAN and OECD businesses and governments can take to improve supply chain resilience in the near term.

It also focused on how OECD and ASEAN governments and businesses can collaborate to promote investment opportunities and improve economic resilience over the long run.

The forum was attended by Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bùi Thanh Sơn, Assistant Minister for Trade and Assistant Minister for Manufacturing of Australia Senator Tim Ayres, OECD General Secretary Mathias Cormann and 200 delegates and high-ranking officials from 38 OECD member countries, countries in the Southeast Asian region, international organisations, businesses and economic experts.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Minister Sơn said the forum is the first of many important events amid the cooperation framework of the OECD Southeast Asia Regional Programme (SEARP) during the 2022-2025 period.

OECD General Secretary Mathias Cormann spoke highly of Việt Nam's co-chair of the SEARP during the 2022-2025 term, which he said demonstrated the trust of OECD member countries and countries in the region in Việt Nam's capacity to connect the OECD with the region effectively.

He also appreciated the active contribution of Việt Nam to the SEARP, particularly in hosting OECD events in Việt Nam, including this forum. 

He affirmed to continue coordinating with Việt Nam to promote the cooperation between OECD and Southeast Asian nations and to implement the OECD-ASEAN action plan.

He proposed participants head towards the goal of economic self-reliance during their discussion and consider the potential of the Southeast Asian economy in the future and OECD member countries' capacity to support the Southeast Asian region. 

Speaking at the forum, Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Bình Minh said in the current context, a global approach, including enhancing international solidarity, upholding multilateralism, and promoting partnership, is the "key" to overcoming all difficulties, heading towards successful development of the humanity.

He proposed OECD and Southeast Asian countries promote cooperation in the supply chain with the motto of stability, sustainability, equity, equality, sharing and mutual benefits.

He called on OECD countries to support Southeast Asia to promote a digital economy, high-end technology and innovation, with consideration in coordinating to develop a digital supply chain in Southeast Asia to turn ASEAN into a global semiconductor chip supply centre and create a supply chain of OECD - Southeast Asia agricultural products, helping to enhance the role of the region in ensuring global food safety. 

The Vietnamese Government committed to continue creating conditions for businesses to invest in priority fields such as high technology, information technology, auxiliary industry, smart agriculture, environmental protection, renewable energy and infrastructure serving social security, he said.

Deputy PM Minh proposed OECD help Southeast Asia to upgrade and connect infrastructure, improve national administration capacity and build ASEAN into a logistic centre. 

Minh said he believed that comprehensive and feasible measures put forward at the forum would help to lift and deepen the relations between OECD and Southeast Asia for peace, stability, cooperation and development of the two regions and the world.  

An OECD - Việt Nam High-level Economic Forum will be organised on Tuesday on the sidelines of the event, building on the supply chain theme of the first day by focusing on attracting quality foreign direct investment for the digital and green transitions. It will be followed by business roundtables on manufacturing and renewable energy and a business networking event. VNS