Delegates from ASEAN member countries attend the Senior Officials' Meeting for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (SOCA) in the Central Highlands province of Lâm Đồng on Monday and Tuesday. — VNA/VNS Photo

LÂM ĐỒNG — The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA), as Chair of ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community 2020, is chairing the Senior Officials' Meeting for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (SOCA) in the Central Highlands province of Lâm Đồng on Monday and Tuesday.

The meeting aims to conduct a mid-term review of the implementation of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint and SOCA Retreat, attracting nearly 60 senior officials and cadres in charge of ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community from 10 ASEAN member states, the ASEAN Secretariat and Vietnamese ministries.

Speaking at the event, ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General Kung Phoak said since the grouping’s foundation, strides have been made in regional integration, economic growth, common prosperity and social progress. Meanwhile, efforts to build the ASEAN Community keep yielding fruits.

Participants discussed the mid-term report on the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint, thus conducting national- and regional-level reviews 2020 to lay a foundation for the implementation of the blueprint for 2021-25.

Head of the SOCA Việt Nam delegation and deputy head of the MoLISA’s Department of International Cooperation Hà Thị Minh Đức said 2020 marks the 25th year of Việt Nam’s ASEAN membership.

Given the theme of 'Cohesive and Responsive' chosen by Việt Nam for ASEAN Year 2020, ASEAN and its Socio-Cultural Community will continue improving people’s lives and building a better future for partners, she said.

The outcomes of the meeting will be reported to the 28th SOCA and the 23rd ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Council Meeting scheduled for April 5-8 in the central city of Đà Nẵng, ahead of the 36th ASEAN Summit. — VNS