According to Cambodia’s Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation, the first two meetings on June 3 included the 60th Meeting of the ASEAN Sub-Committee on Science and Technology Infrastructure and Resources Development (SCIRD-60) and the 16th Board of Advisory Council Meeting.

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Cambodia hosts 20th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Science, Technology and Innovation. (Photo: khmertimeskh.com)

These meetings brought together delegates from the 10 ASEAN member states, Timor-Leste as an observer, and the ASEAN Secretariat to discuss critical issues and advancements in science, technology, and innovation (STI) infrastructure and resource development for the region.

Hul Siengheng, Cambodia’s Undersecretary of the Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation, said that AMMSTI-20, ASEAN COSTI-85 and related meetings are important platforms for regional collaboration in science and technology. As the host, Cambodia is committed to advancing ASEAN’s scientific capabilities and fostering innovation for sustainable development.

These events aimed to strengthen regional collaboration and advance the implementation of the ASEAN Plan of Action on Science, Technology, and Innovation (APASTI) 2016-2025, and develop APASTI 2026-2035.

The APASTI is a road-map that aims to strengthen STI cooperation in the ASEAN region. It outlines key action areas such as enhancing research and development capacities, promoting technology transfer and innovation, improving science and technology education, and fostering partnerships with the private sector. The ultimate goal of APASTI is to harness the potential of STI to drive sustainable economic growth and development in the region.

Cooperation projects with dialogue partners including Australia, Canada, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the European Union, and the U.S. were also discussed.

Additionally, reports from subsidiary bodies and networks like the Experts Group on Metrology, ASEAN Young Scientists Network, and ASEAN Network on Bio-Circular-Green Economy were presented during the meeting.

Source: VNA