This is an activity organized by the Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) as Chairman of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC). The even aimed to implement the results of the 23rd ASCC conference which was held on June 23, 2020 regarding East Timor East Timor's application for ASEAN membership.

Speaking at the opening of the Conference, Mr. Nguyen Manh Cuong, Director of International Cooperation Department (MoLISA), appreciated that East Timor quickly gave answers for the questionnaires of the ASCC according to specialized fields of agencies under the Community.

The 28th ASCC Conference, that will be held on September 22, 2020, will agree on the need of organizing online conferences between specialized agencies of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community with the respective East Timor units for further exchange and clarification on East Timor's responses.

Mr. Nguyen Manh Cuong emphasized: “In the context of COVID-19 epidemic, the online exchange and consultation activities were very necessary. It helped strengthening connectivity and information exchange between ASEAN and East Timor. Accordingly, the Head of ASCC Vietnam requested the representatives of ASCC of ASEAN member countries, Chairman and Vice Chairmen of specialized agencies of the Community to actively provide comments as well as share views to complement East Timor's responses”. 

East Timor side also presented an overview of the fields related to the socio-cultural mechanism of national operation, as well as it’s efforts towards joining ASEAN.

East Timor officially applied to join ASEAN in 2011. Accordingly, the ASEAN Coordinating Council Working Group (ACCWG) was established to study and make recommendations to the ASEAN Coordinating Council on matters relating to East Timor's accession to ASEAN./.