21 Jul 2017
21-Jul-2017
Source: ASEAN Secretariat News
ASEAN, Norway Reaffirm Commitment to Strengthen Cooperation and Partnership
JAKARTA, 21 July 2017 – The 2nd Meeting of the ASEAN-Norway Joint Sectoral Cooperation Committee (AN-JSCC) held in Jakarta today reaffirmed the commitment of both sides to enhance and deepen cooperation and partnership. The AN-JSCC meeting is a key mechanism for ASEAN-Norway cooperation.
The Meeting adopted the Priority Plan for ASEAN-Norway Sectoral Dialogue Partnership, which serves as the overall framework, and lays down the priorities for engagement and cooperation. Cooperation in a wide-range of areas, including peace and reconciliation, maritime cooperation, energy, connectivity and the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) have been identified. Other areas of priority are trade and private sector development, including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), climate change and people-to-people exchanges, including education and culture.
The AN-JSCC also adopted the Procedures for the Norwegian-ASEAN Regional Integration Programme (NARIP) so as to ensure the effective implementation of future projects and activities under the Programme.
The Meeting welcomed the continued efforts to further strengthen the ASEAN-Norway partnership as reflected by the significant progress of on-going activities and projects. The ASEAN Judiciaries Portal project to promote awareness and understanding of the different judicial and legal systems in ASEAN is currently on-going. Norway has also been supporting the convening of numerous symposiums under the aegis of the ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation (AIPR).
During the discussions, Norway acknowledged that ASEAN has been playing an important role in promoting peace and reconciliation, stability and economic development in the region. Norway further reiterated its support for ASEAN Centrality in the regional architecture and underscored the importance of multilateralism and a rules-based international order.
The Meeting was co-chaired by the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASEAN Political-Security Community Department, Hirubalan V P, and the first dedicated Ambassador of Norway to ASEAN, H.E Morten Høglund. The Meeting was attended by the Permanent Representatives to ASEAN or their representatives and the ASEAN Secretariat.
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