Jakarta, 12 September 2025: Her Excellency Dr Nguyen Thi Hoang Huong, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to ASEAN, paid a courtesy visit to ERIA and met with ERIA President Tetsuya Watanabe to discuss ongoing cooperation and explore opportunities for deeper partnership.

Ambassador Huong expressed appreciation for ERIA’s continued support for Viet Nam, particularly through initiatives under the ERIA School of Government and ERIA’s assistance during Viet Nam’s Chairmanship of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI). She emphasised that such efforts play a vital role in narrowing development gaps and promoting regional equity.

She also highlighted the importance of infrastructure and connectivity as pillars of inclusive growth under the ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan, noting that both physical and digital linkages are essential for sustainable regional integration.

President Watanabe, in turn, commended Viet Nam’s strong collaboration with ERIA and reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting Viet Nam’s national and regional priorities. He acknowledged Viet Nam’s growing role in fostering innovation and attracting investment, and expressed ERIA’s readiness to contribute through policy research and initiatives focused on connectivity and subregional development.

Both sides agreed on the need to sustain and deepen cooperation, emphasising that narrowing development gaps should remain a core priority for ASEAN to ensure that no country or community is left behind.