Officials pose for a photo at the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Retreat in Hanoi on February 19 (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Retreat (ADMM Retreat)officially opened in Hanoi on February 19 morning, under the chair of Vietnam’sDefence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich.
Inhis opening remark, Minister Lich thanked ASEAN member countries for supportingVietnam in performing its rotary Chair of ASEAN. He expressed his belief that thedefence-military cooperation channel will continue to contribute importantly tothe building of the ASEAN Community in 2020, bringing a better life for ASEANpeople.
Lichstressed that the ADMM Retreat took place amidst complicated developments ofsecurity challenges, especially the outbreak and rapid spread of the acuterespiratory disease caused by coronavirus (COVID-19).
AsASEAN MilitaryMedicine Chair,Vietnam proposed that member countries consider organizing drills to cope withdisease outbreaks and spread in 2020, he said.
Hewent on to say that Brunei and Australia, as co-chairs of the ADMM-Plus Experts' Working Group on Military Medicine during 2020-2023,are encouraged to include the response to disease outbreaks in field exercises during the three-yearworking programme.
Vietnam also called for partnercountries in the ADMM Plus mechanism to enhance their cooperation in raising ASEAN countries’ capacity in military medicine, especially forresponding to disease outbreaks, the minister said.
Minister Lich expressedsatisfaction at the outcome of the working session of heads of ADSOM delegationson February 18, which agreed to issue ajoint statement on defencecooperation against disease outbreaks.He described the joint statement as a specific evidence of the unity, resolveand proactiveness of ASEAN when facing common security challenges.
Accordingto the minister, the ADMM Retreat, which is the first high-level event duringVietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2020, is very important in outlining theorientation for ASEAN defence cooperation in 2020 as well as in preparing forADMM and ADMM Plus at the end of the year.
Lichurged delegates to engage in straightforward and open discussions on securitychallenges faced by the region and the world, particular the ASEAN, and onassessment of ADMM, ADMM+ cooperative mechanisms, as well as directions andcontents for cooperation in the time ahead./.
VNA
