ASEAN ambassadors in South Africa have spoken highly of Vietnam’s enthusiasm and efforts in implementing the role as Chair of the ASEAN Pretoria Committee (APC) in South Africa over the past six months.

APC meeting discusses the committee’s activities in 2014 in South Africa.

The APC on June 27 organised a regular meeting to assess its operation over the first six months of 2014 and discuss action plans for the near future. Chairing the meeting, Vietnamese Ambassador to South Africa, Le Huy Hoang, who is also the APC chairman, reviewed the outstanding activities of the committee so far this year. The committee promoted strategic collaborative research activities on South Africa and the region’s situation, held meetings with South African leaders to discuss measures to boost ASEAN-South Africa relations, and utilised cultural and tourism events to promote ASEAN products in the country. ASEAN ambassadors expressed their pleasure with the performance of the committee during the period, emphasising the positive effect of APC activities in promoting unity and strengthening ASEAN's image in the host country, as well as facilitating relations between ASEAN and each ASEAN member state with South Africa. In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency correspondents in South Africa, Singaporean High Commissioner Bernard William Baker, who is also the chairman of the Asian ambassadors’ board in Pretoria, praised efforts by Vietnamese Ambassador to South Africa, Le Huy Hoang and the Embassy of Vietnam in South Africa in organising this year's APC activities. He suggested the APC adhere to its goals, ensuring that ASEAN continues to attract attention and support from the Department of International Relations and Co-operation and other related agencies of South Africa. He called for efforts by all APC members to implement such activities to uphold the important role of APC in the country.                                                                                                                                                        Nhan Dan Online