General To Lam, Vietnamese Minister of Public Security, Head of Vietnam’s AMMTC Delegation chaired the event and made the opening remarks.
Vietnam's Prime Minister (PM) Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended and delivered a keynote speech at the opening session.
Present at the hub in Hanoi were Mr. Mai Tien Dung, Minister – Chief of Vietnamese Governmental Office as well as representatives from all embassies of the ASEAN member countries in Hanoi, leaders of the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security (MPS), relevant ministries, agencies, and the Hanoi authorities.
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Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaking at the event (Photo: qdnd.vn) |
The ministers in charge of transnational crime prevention of the ASEAN member countries, the ASEAN Secretary General, and Chairman of the ASEAN Directors-General of Immigration Departments and Heads of Consular Affairs Divisions of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs (DGICM) participated in the event online.
In his remarks, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc noted that at the recent 37th ASEAN Summit, leaders of the member states agreed on many measures and major orientations for developing the ASEAN Community, with people always at the centre, and assisting people and businesses to soon overcome the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact, stabilise their life, ensure social order, and recover economic growth.
According to the Vietnamese Prime Minister, the Political-Security Community is an important pillar in building a united and strong ASEAN Community, helping it bring into full play its stature and central role in regional security mechanisms.
Together with the COVID-19 combat, regional countries are facing with another “dangerous enemy” -- growing transnational crime, the Vietnamese PM said, pointing out that anti-pandemic measures have led to stagnation in production and business activities and an increase in unemployment on one hand, and contributed to growing crimes, especially cybercrime, on the other hand.
PM Phuc highly valued the theme of the AMMTC 14, “Cohesive and responsive ASEAN in preventing and fighting transnational crime”, which reflects the strong commitment and resolve of the ASEAN ministers in charge of transnational crime prevention and control, contributing to regional peace, security, and stability.
To build a cohesive and responsive ASEAN in the transnational crime fight, he suggested some priorities, including fully and effectively implementing the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the Hanoi Declaration on the ASEAN Community’s Post-2025 Vision, with special attention paid to the building of a strong Political-Security Community.
ASEAN countries should increase building trust, enhance information sharing on transnational crime prevention and control, and not let any organizations or individuals use one country’s territory as a base to harm others.
They should also enhance cooperation and exchange experience in fighting transnational crime to ensure security and safety for ASEAN citizens and prevent social uncertainties caused by COVID-19, according to the PM.
He affirmed Vietnam’s commitment to exert every effort to join other member states in building an ASEAN Community of peace, stability, and development.
Addressing the meeting, Minister To Lam stated that AMMTC is one of the key cooperation mechanisms of the ASEAN Political-Security Community, at which ministers of ASEAN member countries can discuss and seek approaches and action plans to address issues related to transnational crime prevention, contributing to maintaining peace, security, and stability in the region.
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Delegates at the event (Photo: qdnd.vn) |
Regional countries should continue upholding the “cohesive and responsive” spirit to work together in combating transnational crime to develop a politically cohesive, economically integrated, and socially responsible ASEAN Community that actively expands cooperation with other countries, regions and the rest of the world, he added.
Immediately after the opening ceremony, Vietnamese Minister of Public Security To Lam chaired the plenary session of the AMMTC 14.
* Earlier, on November 25, the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC), a preparatory session for the 14th AMMTC, opened in Hanoi. Lieutenant General Nguyen Thanh Son, Director of the Foreign Relations Department under the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security and Head of the Vietnam's SOMTC Delegation chaired the session.
Translated by Chung Anh
Source: bocongan