Senior officials from 11 ASEAN member states at the meeting (Photo: VNA)

HÀ NỘI - The ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) took place in Manila, the Philippines, on April 7, with the participation of deputy foreign ministers and senior officials from the 11 ASEAN member states, as well as the leaders of the ASEAN Secretariat.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Đặng Hoàng Giang, head of the ASEAN SOM of Việt Nam, led the Vietnamese delegation to the meeting.

At the meeting, participants reviewed the implementation of agreed commitments and cooperation priorities, preparations for the 48th ASEAN Summit scheduled for this May, and discussed measures to strengthen unity and cooperation amid an increasingly complex and challenging global environment.

The meeting noted that the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and cooperation priorities for 2026 has continued to make positive progress. The Philippines, ASEAN Chair for 2026, reaffirmed its determination to work with member states to achieve the year’s objectives under the theme “Together Navigating Our Shared Future”.

Key priorities include maintaining peace and security, addressing emerging threats, enhancing maritime cooperation, strengthening economic and trade connectivity, promoting digital transformation and the creative economy, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, advancing inclusive development, and enhancing people-centred initiatives.

Participants also exchanged views and reached consensus on several important orientations, including expanding ASEAN’s external relations, strengthening coordination at the United Nations and other international forums, improving the effectiveness of ASEAN-led mechanisms, and continuing to support Timor-Leste’s effective integration into ASEAN mechanisms while addressing issues arising from its accession.

Participants also exchanged views and reached consensus on several important orientations, including expanding ASEAN’s external relations, strengthening coordination at the United Nations and other international forums, improving the effectiveness of ASEAN-led mechanisms, and continuing to support Timor-Leste’s effective integration into ASEAN mechanisms while addressing issues arising from its accession.

Regarding preparations for the 48th ASEAN Summit, senior officials agreed that amid the negative impacts of global geopolitical and geo-economic developments, the summit will provide an important opportunity for ASEAN leaders to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the situation and chart common strategies and responses for the bloc.

The Philippines highlighted its commitment to successfully hosting the summit despite certain challenges and shared information about several initiatives to be proposed, including those aimed at strengthening maritime cooperation.

Speaking at the meeting, the Vietnamese Deputy FM stressed that in a world facing rapid and complex changes, ASEAN must continue to strengthen solidarity, promote effective and substantive cooperation both within the bloc and with its partners, improve its institutional framework and operational methods, and enhance its unified voice at the UN and other multilateral forums.

Noting that the conflict in the Middle East has been having significant and far-reaching impacts on ASEAN countries, he suggested that ASEAN consider developing a comprehensive response strategy covering political, economic, energy, food and social aspects for submission to the 48th ASEAN Summit.

On the occasion, Giang briefed participants on plans to organise the ASEAN Future Forum 2026, and reaffirmed Việt Nam’s initiatives to enhance the effectiveness of dispute settlement mechanisms and strengthen legal cooperation within the region.

Within the framework of ASEAN SOM, the Executive Committee of the Commission for the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) also convened on the morning of April 8 to review the implementation of the treaty. The 19th meeting of the Working Group of the ASEAN Coordinating Council was also held to discuss progress in implementing the roadmap for Timor-Leste’s full ASEAN membership. VNA/VNS