ASEAN, Norway reaffirm commitment for stronger cooperation

ASEAN and Norway reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen cooperation under the ASEAN-Norway Sectoral Dialogue Partnership at the 8th Meeting of the ASEAN-Norway Joint Sectoral Cooperation Committee held at the ASEAN Secretariat on March 14.
Delegates at the 8th Meeting of the ASEAN-Norway Joint Sectoral Cooperation Committee (Photo: asean.org)
Delegates at the 8th Meeting of the ASEAN-Norway Joint Sectoral Cooperation Committee (Photo: asean.org)

Deputy Secretary-General for ASEAN Political-Security Community Michael Tene and Ambassador of Norway to ASEAN Kjell Tormod Pettersen co-chaired the meeting which was attended by members of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN and their representatives and State Secretary and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway Erling Rimestad.

The meeting took note of the steady progress of the ASEAN-Norway Sectoral Dialogue Partnership: Practical Cooperation Areas (2021-2025) which was adopted in March 2021 and sets out the overall framework for practical cooperation between both sides.The meeting also took note of Indonesia’s 2023 ASEAN Chairmanship priorities, the implementation of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Work Plan IV, progress on the ASEAN Smart Cities Network initiative, and ASEAN’s effort to promote sustainable development.

Both sides exchanged views on ways to further strengthen cooperation in a number of areas including peace and reconciliation, renewable energy and energy transition, climate change, environmental protection, biodiversity, ocean sustainability, blue economy, and people-to-people exchanges.

The meeting touched upon four key economic partnership priorities that ASEAN would like to advance further with Norway through meaningful economic cooperation and integration efforts that are fit-for-purpose for the 21st century, namely market integration; sustainability and decarbonisation; digital transformation; and inclusivity involving micro, small and medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Public-Private sector engagement, and people-to-people contacts.

They also agreed to explore cooperation on smart cities, circular economy, digitalisation, cybersecurity, public health, trade, capacity building for women, human rights including rights of person with disabilities, and education including technical and vocational education and training (TVET).

On the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), ASEAN encouraged Norway to develop and support cooperation projects and activities which dovetail with the areas of AOIP cooperation such as on maritime cooperation, connectivity, UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030, as well as economic and other areas of cooperation.

VNA