Jakarta, March 29, 2025 – The Europe Today: Ambassador Tôn Thị Ngọc Hướng, Head of the Vietnamese Mission to ASEAN, and Sarah Tiffin, UK Ambassador to ASEAN, co-chaired the 4th ASEAN-UK Joint Cooperation Committee (ASEAN-UK JCC) meeting at the ASEAN Secretariat headquarters in Jakarta, Indonesia, on March 27. This marks the first JCC meeting under Vietnam’s tenure as the coordinator of ASEAN-UK relations for the 2024-2027 term.
The UK continues to play an active role in implementing various projects and initiatives as part of its dialogue partnership with ASEAN. A major highlight is the Green Transition Programme, which has a total budget of 40 million EUR (US$51 million). This initiative supports ASEAN’s efforts in reducing emissions, fostering green economic growth, and assisting vulnerable communities.
Additionally, the UK has launched several projects with funding ranging between 25-30 million EUR. These include the ASEAN-UK Economic Integration Programme, the Support for Adolescent Girls’ Education (SAGE) initiative, and the Health Security Partnership. Cooperation extends across various fields, including women, peace, and security; science and technology; and the creative economy.
As the ASEAN-UK Plan of Action 2022-2026 enters its fourth year, significant progress has been made, with 171 out of 181 action lines (approximately 95%) already implemented. This represents an increase of over 20 action lines compared to the same period last year, covering ASEAN’s three pillars of cooperation: political-security, economic, and socio-cultural. This progress sets a positive tone as ASEAN and the UK prepare to celebrate the 5th anniversary of their Dialogue Partnership next year.
Ambassador Tiffin reaffirmed the commitment of the new UK government to ASEAN’s centrality, emphasizing its dedication through high-level engagements. Notably, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy participated in the ASEAN-UK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in July 2024, just three weeks after assuming office. Other high-level exchanges between ASEAN and the UK further demonstrate the UK’s strong commitment to regional cooperation.
As Chair of the ASEAN Integration Initiative (IAI) Task Force, Ambassador Hướng provided updates on ongoing cooperation efforts and encouraged the UK to support projects under the IAI Work Plan IV and beyond. Ambassador Tiffin acknowledged this proposal and reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to narrowing development gaps and promoting ASEAN integration.
ASEAN delegates welcomed the UK’s dedication to the ASEAN-UK Plan of Action 2022-2026 and lauded the impact of key cooperation projects, particularly in green transition, economic integration, maritime cooperation, and women, peace, and security. Delegates also encouraged the UK to further collaborate with ASEAN in emerging fields such as AI governance, renewable energy, financial services, and human resource development.
The meeting also highlighted the adoption of the ASEAN-UK Foreign Ministers’ Joint Statement on Connectivity in 2024, with delegates expressing their commitment to enhancing practical cooperation in this domain.
On this occasion, Ambassador Hướng announced that Vietnam and the UK will co-host the ASEAN-UK Connectivity Workshop in Đà Nẵng on April 10, alongside the Fourth ASEAN-UK Senior Officials’ Meeting. The workshop aims to foster deeper discussions on connectivity and cooperation between ASEAN and the UK.
The 4th ASEAN-UK JCC meeting reaffirms the strong and evolving partnership between ASEAN and the UK, paving the way for continued collaboration across multiple sectors to promote sustainable and inclusive development.
