Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son has suggested that dialogues and cooperation among Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) members should be closely connected with sustainable development goals (SDGs).

The official was speaking at the first plenary session of the 12 th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (ASEM FMM12) that kicked off in Luxembourg on November 5. The session themed “ Climate Change, 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management” was held after the opening ceremony.

The Deputy FM laid emphasis on poverty reduction, narrowing the development gaps, achieving social welfare and gender equality fulfillments, and responding to global challenges.

He underlined the need for ASEM to have a new mindset as well as a general, inter-sector and long-term approach to link up ideas, projects and relevant working groups.

He stressed efforts to narrow development gaps and boost cooperation in the sub-regions and regions that house the ASEM members, especially the Mekong-Danube cooperation.

As one of the world’s leading farm produce suppliers, Viet Nam is among the 10 countries hardest hit by climate change and sea level rise, he said.

Thus, Viet Nam wishes to cooperate with other ASEM members in joint efforts to cope with climate change and natural disasters for a sustainable and safe future, he affirmed.

(Source: VNA)