ASEAN, Canada Remain Committed to Strengthen Relations

Jakarta: ASEAN and Canada remain committed to strengthen their dialogue relations at the 10th Meeting of the ASEAN-Canada Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) held on Monday via videoconference.
 
The Meeting took note that the long-standing ASEAN-Canada partnership has expanded to cover a wide range of areas of cooperation undertaken across the three pillars of ASEAN Community.  
 
Cognisant of this, officials from both sides noted the significant progress made in the implementation of the ASEAN-Canada Plan of Action (2021-2025), which will continue to support ASEAN’s efforts in promoting peace, security and prosperity in the region.

The Meeting also underscored the significance of collaborative efforts undertaken in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, and appreciated Canada’s support for ASEAN’s key initiatives on this front, including through its Mitigation of Biological Threats Phase 2 (2019 – 2022) project, its contribution of CAD 3.5 million over five years to the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund and the provision of respirator masks to ASEAN in 2021.
 
Apart from the above, both sides acknowledged the need to strengthen cooperation in the areas of trade and investment, noting the launch of the ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations at the 10th ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM)-Canada Consultation in November 2021; advancement of Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda; cybersecurity; public health emergencies/preparedness; digital economy; sustainable development and environment; connectivity, innovation, and smart cities; and human capital development through education and people-to-people exchanges.
 
"Both sides looked forward to the commemorative activities to be implemented to mark the 45th Anniversary of ASEAN-Canada Dialogue Relations this year," the ASEAN Sectetariat said in a media release on Monday.
 
The Meeting was co-chaired by Azhan Mohammed Yasin, Deputy Permanent Representative of Malaysia to ASEAN, and Vicky Singmin, Chargé d’Affaires of Mission of Canada to ASEAN. It was also attended by the Permanent Representatives of ASEAN Member States/their representatives, the Deputy Secretary-General for ASEAN Political Security Community as well as officials from the ASEAN Secretariat and the Mission of Canada to ASEAN.
 
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