A view of the virtual conference of the 21st ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Minerals (ASOMM 21), which was held in Hà Nội on Wednesday. Photo moitruongvadothi.vn

HÀ NỘI – Việt Nam, as the chair of the 8th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Minerals (AMMin8), wanted regional countries to enhance economic integration and promote sustainable mining.

Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Trần Quý Kiên was speaking at the virtual conference of the 21st ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Minerals (ASOMM 21) in Hà Nội on Wednesday.

The conference was chaired by the General Department of Geology and Minerals of Việt Nam under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment with the participation of representatives from 10 ASEAN countries and the ASEAN Secretariat.

Kiên said 2021 was an important year when the mid-term review of the implementation of the Master Plans on ASEAN Community Building for the five years 2021-2026 must be conducted. It was also a pivotal year in Việt Nam's tenure as the ASEAN Chair on mineral exploitation.

He underlined Việt Nam’s wish to promote sustainable exploitation towards environmental protection and economic, financial and social inclusion based on innovation and application of digital and state-of-the-art technologies; develop high-quality human resources in minerals; and build a green environment.

During the event, which would run until Friday, participants would discuss a wide range of issues, including the implementation of the ASEAN Minerals Cooperation Action Plan (AMCAP), the updates of ASEAN cooperation with the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF), and a report on the progress of the Strengthening ASEAN Cooperation in Mineral (SACM) project.

They are expected to adopt the AMCAP for the 2021-2025 period, yearly priorities of ASEAN mining industry, and preparations for the 14th ASOMM Plus Three and the eighth ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Minerals (AMMin), among others.

The AMMin is a forum for ASEAN ministers to review regional cooperation in the field of minerals, promote the development of the mining industry, and at the same time outline policy directions for cooperation within the bloc and between the bloc and its dialogue partners.

Senior officials of the ASEAN minerals industry will also comment on the outcomes of the first phase of the AMCAP-III and a report of the ASOMM 21 on the completion of the remaining solutions in the first phase of the plan. They will also approve Phase 2 of the AMCAP-III and guidelines on ASEAN cooperation in minerals under the Master Plan for ASEAN Economic Community 2025 in the 2021-2025 period. – VNS