Jakarta, 29 April 2024 – ASEAN and Norway reiterated their commitment to intensify cooperation through the ASEAN-Norway Sectoral Dialogue Partnership at the 9th ASEAN-Norway Joint Sectoral Cooperation Committee Meeting held at the ASEAN Headquarters today.
ASEAN and Norway noted ongoing developments in ASEAN, including Lao PDR’s 2024 ASEAN Chairmanship theme “ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience” and its priorities for the year; updates on the implementation of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Work Plan IV; progress on the ASEAN Smart Cities Network initiative; and ASEAN’s efforts to promote sustainable development. Concurrently, the Meeting took note of current developments in Norway, efforts in navigating the current international and regional challenges, future economic development and priorities related to climate change, renewable energy and security.
In reviewing the implementation of the ASEAN-Norway Sectoral Dialogue Partnership: Practical Cooperation Areas (PCA) 2021-2025, the meeting noted the progress of the implementation of action lines to date through a multitude of projects and activities pursued. Thus, to maintain the momentum of the partnership, both sides reaffirmed the need for closer cooperation in areas in that have yet to be addressed, including cybersecurity, science and technology, food and agriculture, green shipping, and public health.
Both sides also noted the need to explore closer cooperation in areas of common concern namely, peace and reconciliation, renewable energy and energy transition, smart cities, circular economy, digitalisation, counter-terrorism, trade, climate change, environmental protection, biodiversity, ocean sustainability, blue economy, Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) and narrowing development gap, as well as people-to-people exchanges.
Recognising that the ASEAN-Norway Development Partnership will mark its 10th year in 2025 and that the current PCA will expire in the same year, both sides underlined the need to develop a new PCA that is pragmatic, tangible, and adaptable to future challenges and able to project the visibility of the partnership to all stakeholders.
Deputy Secretary-General for ASEAN Economic Community Satvinder Singh and Ambassador of Norway to ASEAN Kjell Tormod Pettersen co-chaired the meeting. Members of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN or their representatives, State Secretary and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway, Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik were in attendance. Timor-Leste also participated as Observer.
