The ASEAN-Germany Development Partnership Committee (AG-DPC) convened its first session at the ASEAN Secretariat headquarters in Jakarta, Indonesia, on January 23.

At the event (Source: VNA)

The meeting was attended by Deputy Secretary General of ASEAN for Political-Security Community Hirubalan VP and German Ambassador to ASEAN Michael Baron von Ungern-Sternberg, among others.

Appreciating ASEAN’s granting of development partner status to Germany at the 49th Foreign Ministerial Meeting in Vientiane, Laos in July 2016, the German side said Germany attaches importance to cooperation with the bloc and emphasised that ASEAN plays an important role in maintaining regional political and economic stability,

Germany hopes to involve more in ASEAN-led processes and pledged to continue supporting the bloc in the implementation of the ASEAN Vision 2025, the ASEAN Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025 and the third stage of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration Work Plan.

ASEAN representatives highly valued bilateral ties over the past years as well as Germany’s support to ASEAN in regional economic integration, environment, climate change, mechanism strengthening and capacity building.

The two sides adopted the AG-DPC’s Terms of Reference which will lay a foundation to strengthen their consultation mechanism and boost ASEAN-Germany development partnership in the future.

About orientations of bilateral cooperation, the two sides agreed to intensify practical collaboration in fields of shared concern and explore potential cooperative areas that can bring mutual benefits, including trade-investment, education, vocational training and tourism.

The second session is scheduled for 2018.

(Source: VNA)