Vietnam chairs 64th meeting of Initiative for ASEAN Integration Task Force

It was a regular meeting of ASEAN permanent representatives to review projects within the IAI framework and put forward solutions to improve the efficiency of IAI work plans, including the completion of the IAI Work Plan III (2016 - 2020) and the launch of the IAI Work Plan IV (2021 - 2025) which was adopted in late 2020.

To date, 23 out of 26 action lines of the IAI Work Plan III have been implemented in five strategic areas of  “Food and Agriculture”, “Trade Facilitation”, “Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)”, “Education”, and “Health and Well-being”.

Currently, 133 projects have been approved and implemented with total capital of US$42.87 million. By the end of the work plan on July 31, four additional projects will be designed to complete the remaining three action lines.

At the meeting, the Task Force approved four new projects for the IAI Work Plan IV (2021 - 2025), raising the total number of projects for the period to 21, of which 17 funded by Singapore, two by Japan, one by Australian, and one co-funded by Singapore and Japan.

At the meeting, Bang lauded the progress of IAI projects as well as outcomes of the regional conference on IAI on May 21 and a forum on the implementation of the IAI Work Plan IV on June 8. He said they are the premises for the effective implementation of IAI projects in the time to come.

The Task Force agreed to speed up the launch of the IAI Work Plan IV and planned to hold its 65th meeting as well as the 11th Consultation Meeting of the IAI Task Force and ASEAN Partners in September.

The IAI was launched in 2000 with a view to narrowing the development gap and helping CLMV countries (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam), which were new members, fully integrate into the regional economy.