JAKARTA, 12 MAY 2022 – ASEAN and France identified a number of possible areas for cooperation to further strengthen their partnership at the Second ASEAN-France Development Partnership Committee (AF-DPC) Meeting held via videoconference.
Officials from both sides discussed the importance of strengthening cooperation in a number of key priority areas including peace and reconciliation, maritime cooperation, cybersecurity, counter terrorism, people-to-people exchanges, disaster management and humanitarian assistance, public health, biodiversity, environment, and climate change.
In this regard, the Meeting looked forward to the adoption of the ASEAN-France Practical Cooperation Areas (2022-2026), which will serve as a guide for both sides to pursue mutually beneficial cooperation in the coming years.
ASEAN appreciated France contribution of EUR 100,000 to support the ASEAN Junior Fellowship Program and France’s commitment to contribute US$ 200,000 to the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre) as part of its contribution towards the operationalisation of the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER).
The 2nd AF-DPC was co-chaired by RM Michael Tene, Deputy Secretary-General for ASEAN Political-Security Community, and Olivier Chambard, Ambassador of the French Republic to ASEAN and attended by members of the Committee of Permanent Representatives, senior officials from France and staff of the ASEAN Secretariat.
France was conferred the status of Development Partner of ASEAN by the ASEAN Foreign Ministers on 9 September 2020. The partnership was launched through the convening of the First AF-DPC Meeting on 4 March 2021.
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