At the 9^th Session of the ASEAN Community Statistical System (ACSS) Committee, 9-11 October 2019, in Bangkok, Thailand, the General Statistics Office of Vietnam (GSO) has assumed the role of ASEAN Chair on Statistics from the Host Country Thailand. It is the second time Vietnam has been honored to take on this role since its first in 2010.

To successfully fulfill Vietnam’s mandate as the ASEAN Chair on Statistics for 2020, since 2019, the Foreign Statistics and International Cooperation Department and relevant units under the GSO has actively developed preparation plans. On 4 June 2019, the Minister of Planning and Investment approved the Scheme on preparation for and Vietnam’s assumption of the ASEAN Chair on Statistics in 2020 in Decision No. 783/QD-BKHDT.

According to the plan of implementing the Scheme, the Working Groups were assigned specific tasks under the areas they are responsible for, including the ACSS Sub-Committee on Planning and Coordination (SCPC), the Working Group on sustainable development goal indicators (WGSDGI), the Working Group on Data Sharing, Analysis, Dissemination and Communication of ASEAN Statistics (WGDSA), the Working Group on statistics on international trade in services (WGSITS), the Working Group on international merchandize trade statistics (WGIMTS), the Working Group on International Investment Statistics (WGIIS), the Working Group on System of National Accounts (WGSNA).

In the ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2020, the GSO takes responsibility for organizing 5 meetings and sessions in Vietnam: (1) the 10^th Session of the ACSS Committee (ACSS10) and a High Level Forum on ASEAN Statistics; (2) the 20^th Session of the ACSS Sub-Committee on Planning and Coordination (SCPC20); (3) the 18^th Meeting of the Working Group on Data Sharing, Analysis, Dissemination and Communication of Statistics (WGDSA18); (4) the 3^rd Meeting of the Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals Indicators (WGSDGI3); and (5) the 7^th Meeting of the Working Group on Statistics on International Trade in Services (WGSITS7).

Taking on the role of ASEAN Chair on Statistics in 2020 is both a member state’s resposiblity, obligation and an opportunity for Vietnam Statistics. The ASEAN Chair on Statistics must be responsible for inheriting and promoting the ACSS’s achievements as well as continuing what the ACSS has been developing in recent years. Well undertaking this responsibility will enhance the prestige and role of Vietnam Statistics, at the same time, be an opportunity to promote the image of country, people, culture and tourism of Vietnam, and to show the hospitality and professionalism of the Vietnam Statistics’ staff to international friends.