In the framework of ASEAN cooperation on civil service matters, on April 8, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA), Vietnam held a preparatory and senior officials’ meeting (SOM) of the 21st ACCSM via video conference under the chair of Deputy Minister Nguyen Duy Thang.
Attending the meeting was Mr. Vu Dang Minh, Chief of Office, Ministry of Home Affairs; Mr. Chu Tuan Tu, Director of International Cooperation Department, and representatives from departments under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Deputy Minister Nguyen Duy Thang delivering an opening speech at the preparatory meeting
In the opening speech at the ACCSM preparatory meeting with the theme “Civil service modernization towards a cohesive and responsive ASEAN Community”, MOHA Deputy Minister Nguyen Duy Thang said, Vietnam will assume the rotating chairmanship of ACCSM 21 for a two-year term and this preparatory meeting is the first activity in the events organized by MOHA Vietnam. After taking over the ACCSM chairmanship from Thailand, MOHA Vietnam has cooperated closely with the ASEAN Secretariat and ASEAN member countries’ civil service agencies to develop a working program and update activities/projects within the framework of the ACCSM working plan for the 2021-2025 period. In addition, MOHA Vietnam has collaborated with other ASEAN cooperation channels in Vietnam such as the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure effective coordination among ASEAN specialized organizations in the country. Deputy Minister Nguyen Duy Thang congratulated Thailand on successfully completing the ACCSM 20 Chairmanship with important results, and hoped that Vietnam would preside over an effective ACCSM chairmanship with remarkable achievements.
At the preparatory meeting, Mr. Chu Tuan Tu, Director of International Cooperation Department, MOHA Vietnam presented a report briefing the planned activities and expected results to be achieved during the two-year chairmanship (2021-2022) and a report on the development of the ASEAN Declaration on promoting civil service’s response to the new challenges and an estimated timeline for approval by heads of civil service agencies in ASEAN countries.
Participants from ASEAN countries discussed the following issues: Development of an ASEAN Declaration on promotion of civil service’s response to new challenges; timeline for implementation of the ACCSM 2021 – 2025 work plan; ACCSM Plus Three and other dialogue partners; approval of the preparatory meeting report.
The ASEAN Secretariat reported on the followings: initiatives in the ACCSM 2021 – 2025 Work Plan; the draft ACCSM Strategic Partnership Framework for ASEAN countries’ consideration.
Deputy Minister Nguyen Duy Thang chairing the SOM of 21st ACCSM via video conference on April 8, 2021.
On the afternoon of April 8, the SOM of 21st ACCSM with the theme “Civil service modernization towards a cohesive and responsive ASEAN Community” focused on these followings: decisions of other ASEAN meetings since the 20th Conference of Heads of Civil Service in ASEAN countries in November 2020; main results of the ACCSM 21 preparatory meeting; updating the implementation of the ASEAN resource center; ASEAN public service training institutions network; sharing information on measures to support civil service’s response or adaptation to the new normal state caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
At the meeting, representatives from MOHA Vietnam presented the roadmap for the 21st ACCSM of Vietnam (2021 – 2022), stating the reasons for choosing the theme, roadmap and expected time to organize the main activities in the next two years of ACCSM chairmanship of MOHA Vietnam, specifically:
In 2021:
1) Meeting 1 (Preparatory Meeting and the SOM of ACCSM)
- Time: April 2021
- Participants: key contacts for ACCSM, SOM and ASEAN Secretariat
2) Meeting 2 (key contacts, senior officials’ meeting (SOM) ACCSM), followed by the Workshop “Sharing experience on IT application in civil service modernization”)
- Time: August 2021
- Participants of the meeting: key contacts for ACCSM, SOM, ASEAN Secretariat
- Participants of the Workshop: key contacts for ACCSM, ACCSM + 3, ASEAN Secretariat
In 2022:
Official events (Conference of heads of civil service of ACCSM and ACCSM + 3 and Forum on Good Governance)
- Time: August 2022
- Location: in Hanoi
- Participants: Heads of civil service agencies of ASEAN countries, SOM, co, ACCSM + 3, ASEAN Secretariat.
Speaking at the conclusion of the meeting, Deputy Minister Nguyen Duy Thang highly appreciated the exchange and sharing of information and comments, recognized the agreed contents, and emphasized the need to promote cooperation and further coordination between civil service agencies of ASEAN countries to quickly adapt and well respond to new situation and to the Covid-19 pandemic. He affirmed that the 21st ACCSM would make efforts together for development in this direction. On behalf of MOHA Vietnam, Deputy Minister Nguyen Duy Thang expressed his sincere thanks and acknowledgments to representatives of civil service agencies of ASEAN member countries, the ASEAN Secretariat and senior officials as well as participants of the meeting for supporting Vietnam as the 21st ACCSM chairmanship. MOHA, Vietnam will assume successfully the role of the 21st ACCSM chairmanship.
Photo time of Deputy Minister Nguyen Duy Thang and the meeting participants.
