ASEAN, Switzerland step up cooperation

15-Dec-2017

ASEAN, Switzerland step up cooperation

Source:  ASEAN Secretariat News

JAKARTA, 15 December 2017 – ASEAN and Switzerland reaffirmed their commitment to enhance and deepen their Sectoral Dialogue Relations through practical and concrete cooperation activities. This was emphasised at the 2nd Meeting of the ASEAN-Switzerland Joint Sectoral Cooperation Committee (AN-JSCC) held in Jakarta today. Both sides adopted the ASEAN-Switzerland Practical Cooperation Areas for the period 2017-2021 which together with the List of Priorities for Cooperation (2017-2018) will serve as framework for collaboration in areas of mutual interests.

The 2nd AS-JSCC noted the good progress made in cooperation since Switzerland was conferred the status of ASEAN’s Sectoral Dialogue Partnership in July 2016. The Meeting discussed extensively ongoing and planned cooperation programmes and projects in the areas of peace and reconciliation, human rights, good governance, economic cooperation, food security, social forestry and climate change, agriculture, vocational education and training and humanitarian assistance on disaster management.

Switzerland also congratulated ASEAN on its golden jubilee anniversary and expressed its strong support for ASEAN’s central role in regional architecture. Switzerland further underscored the importance of multilateralism and a rules-based international order and acknowledged ASEAN’s key role in promoting regional peace, security and prosperity in the region and beyond.

The 2nd AS-JSCC was co-chaired by Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASEAN Political-Security Community, Hirubalan V P and Assistant State Secretary of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, Johannes Matyassy, and attended by the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN. The Ambassador of Switzerland to ASEAN, Yvonne Baumann, and representatives of a number of Swiss agencies were also present at the Meeting.