The two meetings aim to prepare for the 14th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and the 7th ADMM+, which are likely to be held virtually in December 2020.
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Minister of National Defense General Ngo Xuan Lich (fourth from right) speaks at the ASEAN Defense Senior Officials’ Meeting Plus (ADSOM+) in July 2020. |
The ADSOM and ADSOM+, which are annual meetings in the framework of the ADMM and ADMM+, are usually attended by deputy defense ministers, or equivalents, of member countries.
At an ADSOM, delegates listen to reports made by the ASEAN Defense Senior Officials’ Meeting Working Group (ADSOM WG) and Network of ASEAN Defense and Security Institutions (NADI). They also review results of defense cooperation in the framework of the ADMM, discuss initiatives on defense cooperation in the framework of the ADMM and ADMM+, and prepare contents for the upcoming ADMM.
Meanwhile the ADSOM+ is attended by deputy defense ministers, or equivalents, of the 10 ASEAN member countries and ASEAN’s eight partners, namely Australia, China, Japan, India, New Zealand, Russia, the Republic of Korea and the United States of America. The meeting aims to roll out agreements and decisions made at the previous ADMM+ and prepare an agenda for the next ADMM+. It is also expected to adopt a three-year working plan for the ADMM+ WG.
Generally speaking, the ADSOM and ADSOM+ play an important role in preparing for the organization of the ADMM and ADMM+. In other words, they contribute significantly to the success of the ADMM and ADMM+.
Over the past years, as a member of both ADMM and ADMM+, the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense has participated actively and responsibly in the ADSOM and ADSOM+ and contributed positively to the two mechanisms.
This year, as the host of the ADMM and ADMM+, the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense has already held a virtual ADSOM in May to bolster defense cooperation in the region and step up the implementation of resolutions and decisions made at the Special ASEAN Summit and the ASEAN Plus Three Summit on COVID-19 response.
The virtual ADSOM in May also aimed to realize the joint statement on COVID-19 response made by ASEAN defense ministers at an ADMM Retreat held in February 2020. During the meeting, ADSOM delegations from ASEAN member countries discussed approaches to expanding regional defense cooperation on COVID-19 prevention and control, shared regional militaries’ experience in preventing and combating the pandemic as well as agreed on orientations for defense cooperation in preventing and combating a possible future pandemic.
Especially, delegates at the ADSOM also agreed on the forms and contents of regional defense cooperation during the COVID-19 as well as in the post-pandemic time.
In July, the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense organized a virtual ADSOM+, which aimed at boosting defense cooperation between ASEAN members and ASEAN’s partners in the framework of the ADMM+. At the meeting, delegates exchanged views on regional and global situations, discussed complicated developments in the pandemic situation, shared practical experience in dealing with the pandemic, and geared up the implementation of defense cooperation activities in the framework of the ADMM+.
In spite of the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense has actively sought ways to maintain the regional connection and boost defense cooperation activities in the framework of the ADMM and ADMM+.
The organization of the two virtual events, the ADSOM and ADSOM+, demonstrates the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense’s determination and responsibility for regional defense cooperation.
The successful organization of the ADSOM and ADSOM+ will lay the groundwork for the upcoming 14th ADMM and 7th ADMM+, and mark a successful ASEAN Chairmanship Year for the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense in particular and Vietnam in general.
Translated by Thu Nguyen