Vietnam sets up committee to prepare for ASEAN chairmanship

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has issued a decision on establishing a national committee to prepare for Vietnam’s ASEAN chairmanship in 2020.

Vietnam will assume the chairmanship of ASEAN in 2020.
Vietnam will assume the chairmanship of ASEAN in 2020.

The committee consists of 29 members and is headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.

Its mission is to assist the Prime Minister to direct, coordinate and instruct ministries, agencies and localities on affairs concerning the preparation and fulfilment of Vietnam’s role as chair of the regional group.

The national ASEAN committee consists of five sub-committees responsible for the content, protocols, communications, logistics and security.

It also includes a secretariat under the Foreign Ministry as a standing agency to help the national ASEAN committee to deal with every matter concerning Vietnam’s chairmanship of ASEAN.

The chairmanship of ASEAN is rotated annually among its member countries and Vietnam was previously chair of the bloc in 1998 and 2010.