The attendants and the hosts at the site of the ASSA Chairman in Cambodia included: Mr. Haji Omar Bin Mohd. Dali – ASSA Chairman and Managing Director of the Brunei’s Employees Trust Fund; Mr. Ith Samheng - Minister of Labor and Vocational Training of Cambodia, Chairman of Management Board of National Social Security Fund in Cambodia; Mr. Ouk Samvithyea - General Director of National Social Security Fund in Cambodia and ASSA Vice Chairman; Leaders of ASSA member organizations.

The site in Hanoi capital of Vietnam included: General Director of Vietnam Social Security (VSS) Nguyen The Manh, Deputy General Director Dao Viet Anh, leadership representatives of ministries and agencies and social insurance leaders of units directly under the Vietnam Social Security.

As planned, ASSA 37 was held in Siem Reap, Cambodia. However, due to the complicated developments of the COVID-19 epidemic around the world and in the region, ASSA 37 was decided to be held online.

In the series of events of Vietnam’s 2020 ASEAN Chairmanship, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc sent congratulations on the ASSA 37 event

This 37^th ASSA Board Meeting was held in the year of Vietnam’s 2020 ASEAN Chairmanship. It was held on the same day as the 9th Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Three River Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS 9), 10th Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam Summit (CLMV 10) and 11th Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Area Summit (CLV 11). At the invitation of Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen and Prime Minister of the Lao People's Democratic Republic Thongloun Sisoulith, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended this meeting at Hanoi site in Vietnam. Also on December 9 and 10, the 14th ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM-14) and the 7th ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM+) were held online, the same as Vietnam.

ASSA 37 was held online at its 23 member countries' sites

The fact that ASSA 37 was held concurrently with numerous major ASEAN events in the year of Vietnam’s 2020 ASEAN Chairmanship demonstrated the active role of Vietnam Social Security in the Association as well as the proactiveness of Vietnam Social Security in organizing the series of activities to celebrate the Vietnam’s 2020 ASEAN Chairmanship. The Board Meeting includes Plenary Session; ASSA Executive Board Meeting and ASSA Secretariat Meeting.

Delivering the opening speech, Mr. Haji Omar Bin Mohd. Dali - ASSA Chairman and Managing Director of the Brunei’s Employees Trust Fund emphasized: This is the first time that the ASSA Board Meeting was held via online platforms, therefore, this can be considered as the most special event of Association ever.

Mr. Haji Omar Bin Mohd. Dali said, although it is not an in-person meeting, it is necessary for the Board Meeting to take place so that the member organizations are able to maintain close cooperation and together share on the welfare issues encountered in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing cooperation opportunities in the face of unprecedented challenges like today.

The ASSA 37’s site in Vietnam

General Director of VSS Nguyen The Manh said, on the background of a multicolored picture of the world due to the impact of the epidemic in 2020, there are still bright spots on cooperation in response and overcoming through regional challenges with strong actions and commitments from leaders of ASEAN countries, especially at the 37th ASEAN Summit hosted successfully by Vietnam in November 2020.

In the past year, despite the inability of face-to-face interactions and discussions, thanks to the modern digital technology platform, the member countries have overcome barriers in both space and time and the form of interactions to maintain effective joint activities of the Association that the Online Seminar "Beyond the first wave of COVID-19 epidemic: Lessons for social security organizations in Southeast Asia" in September and this 37th ASSA Board Meeting are clear demonstrations of effective coordination of activities on a digital platform. It was the first time since establishment that the ASSA Board Meeting has been held online.

Manh welcomed the participants and thanked the Chairman and Vice Chairman of ASSA for the term of 2019-2020 and the Association members for their efforts to successfully coordinate to organize this special event.

VSS General Director Nguyen The Manh delivered his welcome speech at the Meeting

“The year 2020 is gradually coming to an end amidst the density of the tasks that the ASEAN countries have to complete, which is the dual goal of preventing and controlling the epidemic and promoting economic recovery, ensuring social security, employment and sustainable livelihoods for the people. In that context, from the effective practice of ensuring social security for the Vietnamese people and as a friend, a reliable partner and an active and responsible member of ASSA, at this Meeting, Vietnam Social Security wants to share experiences and consult with ASSA member organizations on solutions to support, help and protect people through this difficult period. At the same time, we wish and recommend that ASSA member organizations continue to strengthen connections, closely cooperate and strongly support the next term ASSA Chairman in one shared endeavor and determination towards building a united ASEAN social security community that develops for the benefit of the people and remains stable and prosperous in the region.”- said Manh.

Giving the welcome speech, Mr. Ouk Samvithyea, Delegate of the Royal Government, General Director of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) in Cambodia, on behalf of the Royal Government of Cambodia, expressed his joy to become the host of the 37th ASSA Board Meeting. Despite the COVID-19 epidemic and the meeting was held in the online form, it still showed the close connection among ASSA member organizations, which is a valuable opportunity to share experiences among members on the social safety network implementation in each country.

Vietnam Social Security received the ASSA Chairman’s Award under the category "Ongoing innovation" with the content "Vietnam Social Security - Expanding voluntary social insurance coverage".

During the plenary session, the 37th ASSA Board Meeting held the ASSA Recognition Award Ceremony. Mr. Nguyen The Manh, on behalf of the Vietnam Social Security, received the ASSA Chairman's Award with the category "Ongoing innovation" with the content "Vietnam Social Security - Expanding voluntary social insurance coverage".

The VSS Portal will continue to update the content of the Meeting.