Deputy Secretary-General for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Ekkaphab Phanthavong received the 2019 ASEAN Prize Winner and Executive Director of the Malaysia-based Sunway Centre for Planetary Health, Prof Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmood, at the ASEAN Secretariat today where they discussed opportunities and challenges facing ASEAN and the potential areas of cooperation under the ASCC pillar.

The courtesy meeting was followed by an interface with the Committee of Permanent Representatives of ASEAN (CPR) where Dr Jemilah shared propositions as ASEAN charts its long-term plans through the ASEAN Vision 2045 and attendant documents. The interface welcomed the proposal to convene a series of dialogues to inform the attendant documents of the ASEAN Vision 2045. Both sides also explored potential cooperation in inter-sectoral, inter-pillar work of ASEAN in promoting and protecting the health of humans, animals, plants and environment through ASEAN One Health initiatives.