Delegates at the 59th meeting of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Task Force and the 9th Consultation Meeting of the IAI Task Force and ASEAN Partners in Jakarta, Indonesia. — Photo vov.vn

JAKARTA — The 59th meeting of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Task Force and the 9th Consultation Meeting of the IAI Task Force and ASEAN Partners took place in Jakarta, Indonesia from October 3-4.

The Vietnamese delegation was led by Ambassador Trần Đức Bình, head of the Vietnamese mission in ASEAN.

The 59th IAI Task Force Meeting is a regular event gathering representatives from ASEAN countries to review the implementation of IAI projects and seek ways to enhance the efficiency of the IAI Work Plan in the third phase in the 2016-20 period (IAI Work Plan III).

After three years 19 out of 26 actions have been conducted across all five strategic areas of Food and Agriculture; Trade Facilitation; Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises; Education; and Health and Well-Being.

Currently there are 101 projects are underway with total value of US$25.96 million. India, Germany, the EU and Japan are the leading sponsors among ASEAN’s partners.

In the future, the IAI Task Force plans to continue speeding up the project and launch 14 proposals which are being designed.

At the 9th Consultation Meeting of the IAI Task Force and ASEAN Partners, the IAI Task Force briefed the partners of the implementation of the IAI Work Plan III.

Australia, Canada, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, the US, and Switzerland praised the IAI Work Plan III and gave a number of recommendations for the plan’s implementation, as well as the building of the fourth phase.

ASEAN partners reaffirmed their commitment to supporting projects within the IAI framework, while stressing the significance of the initiative in narrowing the development gap among ASEAN countries and enhancing regional integration.

The IAI was launched in 2000, aiming to help ASEAN’s newer member states implement ASEAN commitments and agreements. Through special assistance to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Việt Nam (CLMV countries), it aims to further regional integration in order to narrow the development gap within ASEAN.

The IAI has so far seen the adoption of two work plans. Work Plan I, from 2002 to 2008, comprised 232 projects in four areas. Work Plan II began in 2009, and includes 182 actions aligned with the three ASEAN Community Blueprints 2015.

IAI Work Plan III has been developed in close collaboration with CLMV countries, other ASEAN member States and stakeholders, and is aligned with the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the various sectoral work plans. — VNS