The Role of ASEAN and Vietnam in Counter-Terrorism

This study examines the role of Vietnam in the fight against terrorism. The study focuses on the activities of the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its member VietNam in the area of counter-terrorism, radicalism and extremism. The authors examine in detail the legal framework of ASEAN’s counter-terrorism activities: the ASEAN Convention on Counter-Terrorism, the ASEAN Comprehensive Plan of Action on Counter-Terrorism, ASEAN plan of action to prevent and counter the rise of radicalisation and violent extremism (POA PCVE). Moreover, close attention is given to the activities of specialized bodies: ASEAN Ministerial Meetings on Transnational Crime (AMMTC), Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the Intersessional Meeting on Terrorism and Transnational Crime (ISM on CTTC). The main conclusions of the study are the establishment of activities of the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the field of counter-terrorism, the definition of the role of Vietnam in the fight against terrorism, radicalism and extremism, Analysis of Viet Nam’s cooperation with various international organizations on counter-terrorism issues and identification of further necessary actions of Vietnam aimed at improving the fight against terrorism. The relevance of the study is due to the increased level of terrorist threat in the world and in the region of South-East Asia in particular. This study is based on the theory of political realism, which views international relations as an eternal confrontation between States defending their national interests. In the process of studying this problem, the authors apply institutional, analytical and problem-chronological methods.

ASEAN, Terrorism, Vietnam, Convention, Cooperation, UN, SOMTC, AMMTC, ARF, ISM on CTTC