Jakarta (VNA) – The ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community(ASCC) recently held it♊s first virtual Partnership Conference themed “𓃲TowardsPost-COVID Recovery and Resilience in ASEAN” to strengthen cross-pillar and cross-sectoral coordination among ASEAN, its stakeholders and partners in realising the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework.

Theevent attracted 222 delegates, including leaders of ASCC, Committeeof Permanent Representatives to ASEAN, representatives of ASEAN sectoraldialogue partners, development partners, UN agencies, internationalorganisations, and the ASEAN Secretariat. In his opening remarks, DeputySecretary General of ASEAN for ASCC Kung Phoak  emphasised that the region’s recovery effortsmust be done in a systematic and coordinated way, in concert with stakeholdersand partners. He reiterated that these major tasks cannot be accomplished bythe ASEAN governments alone. Chair of Senior Officials’Committee for the ASCC (SOCA) Hajah Nor Ashikin Binti Haji Johari furtherunderscored that the Partnership Conference would maximise existing resourcesto implement the identified priorities of the Coordinating Conference on theASEAN Socio-Cultural Community. These priorities are aligned with Brunei’sASEAN Chairmanship theme, placing peoples’ well-being as ASEAN’s top overallagenda. The 15 ASCC Sectoral Bodiespresented their priority areas and identified relevant activities planned forthe next five years that would promote a sense of regional agenda and sustainthe ASCC building efforts towards post-pandemic recovery. Representatives from partner countries and organisations recognised the shared commitments of the ASCC Sectoral Bodies andascertained areas of mutual interest for potential collaboration. They furtherunderscored the importance of a whole-ASEAN approach to ensure thatinterventions are not only effective but also sustainable. In closing, delegates expressedconfidence that the dialogue will further lead to concrete actions between ASCCSectoral Bodies and partners, in laying the groundwork for ASEAN’s post-COVIDefforts, in the spirit of a community that is caring, prepared and prosperousin all its actions./.