(VOVworld) – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) signed a framework agreement for cooperation in Paris on Tuesday.

ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh and UNESCO General Director Irina Bokova at the signing ceremony (Photo: VOV)

The signing took place during ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh’s meeting with UNESCO General Director Irina Bokova. The framework agreement worked out seven priority areas for cooperation including education, science and technology, natural disaster reduction, sustainable environment development, social and human sciences, culture, information and communication in the period of 2014-2018. Ms. Bokova stressed close and effective cooperation between ASEAN and UNESCO, saying that cultural diversity is the origin of social consensus at a time when countries are becoming increasingly dependent and connected to each other. She added that education serves as the foundation for building a prosperous society: "The agreement we signed today focuses on 7 priority areas. These areas encompass education, science, technology, disaster reduction, environmental sustainability, the projection of culture heritage and the promotion of culture diversification and of course access to information and knowledge". 

Minh called the agreement a milestone especially at a time when ASEAN is striving for prosperity and development, connection and improved living standards for its people: "We look forward to working closely with UNESCO for the details of the joint activities to effectively promote cooperation between ASEAN and UNESCO. Under the agreement, ASEAN and UNESCO can make full use of resources for the implementation of projects, cooperative programs to support the bloc’s effort to build the ASEAN community by 2015". 

The agreement will create a legal foundation and an effective mechanism to boost cooperation between ASEAN and UNESCO in science, education and culture.