Vietnam and Australia co-chaired the SEARP program meeting.

On April 26, 2023, the 11th Senior Officials Meeting of the OECD Southeast Asia Programme (SEARP) took place in Paris, France, chaired by Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang and Ambassador Brendan Pearson, Head of the Australian Mission to the OECD, in his capacity as Co-Chair of the SEARP programme.

The meeting focused on evaluating the results of the SEARP Program's activities over the past period, identifying the focus of cooperation for the 2023-2024 period, and discussing financial initiatives to support Southeast Asian countries in infrastructure investment and investment in other sectors.

In her opening remarks at the meeting, Assistant Minister Nguyen Minh Hang emphasized that Southeast Asian countries highly value their partnership with the OECD within the framework of the SEARP program; and suggested that the implementation of the program's three priorities should be further strengthened, including promoting economic recovery, supporting economic reform processes, and helping Southeast Asian countries move closer to OECD standards.

Assistant Minister Nguyen Minh Hang also requested that OECD countries continue to support and assist in the implementation of cooperation projects that align with the interests of countries in the region regarding sustainable development, green transformation, digital transformation, skills training, and training of high-quality human resources…

The 11th Senior Officials Meeting of the OECD Southeast Asia Programme (SEARP) took place in Paris, France. (Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

At the meeting, OECD members emphasized that, in the context of slowing global economic growth, Southeast Asia continues to be a bright spot in terms of economic recovery and development.

Southeast Asia continues to be a top priority in the OECD's global strategy. Members highly appreciate the many effective and practical cooperation activities carried out recently under the chairmanship of the two co-chairs, Australia and Vietnam, including the OECD-Southeast Asia Ministerial Forum 2022 on ensuring resilient supply chains, which took place in Hanoi in October 2022.

The meeting welcomed the proposal for a list of potential projects for the program; and agreed to mobilize resources from the OECD and its members to implement several priority projects in the coming period on investment policy review, marine economy, skills and quality improvement of human resources, infrastructure development, green economy, etc.

Countries highly appreciate Vietnam's proposal to host the second OECD – Southeast Asia Ministerial Forum in Q4/2023 to strengthen investment cooperation between the OECD and Southeast Asian countries, contributing to regional and global economic recovery.

Under Vietnam's chairmanship, the meeting also discussed directions for promoting OECD-Southeast Asia cooperation in the new phase, in preparation for the 10th anniversary of the SEARP Programme in 2024.

OECD countries have expressed their desire to elevate the OECD partnership with Southeast Asia to a new level, commensurate with the region's important role both strategically and in terms of its economic development potential.

The conference agreed that Australia and Vietnam, in their capacity as co-chairs of the program, would further concretize cooperation directions for discussion at the 12th Senior Officials Meeting, scheduled to take place in Hanoi in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/viet-nam-va-australia-dong-chu-tri-cuoc-hop-cua-chuong-trinh-searp-a605354.html