Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) Jakarta (VNA) - ASEAN and EU experts discussed theemergence of new COVID-19 variants, the scaling up of vaccine manufacturingcapacity and the possibilities and challenges of vaccine rollout, at the recentsecond EU-ASEAN Expert Dialogue on COVID-19 Vaccines.
In his remark, ASEAN Deputy Secretary General for Socio-Cultural CommunityKung Phoak noted that this cooperative undertaking reaffirms ASEAN’s commitmentto vaccine security and self-reliance which underscores the need to strengthencooperation and stakeholder efforts through knowledge sharing, capacitybuilding and other developmental actions.
He further highlighted that the ASEAN health ministers adopted the RegionalStrategic and Action Plan on ASEAN Vaccine Security and Self-Reliance for2021-2025 on May 14, which will now further accelerate cooperation invaccine-related initiatives in the region.
EU Ambassador to ASEAN Igor Driesmans, for his part, noted that theevent presents an opportunity to engage a unique mix of medical specialists,policy practitioners, and industry representatives from BioNTech. This is thelatest example of the strong partnership which EU and ASEAN have forged sinceMarch 2020 to tackle the COVID-19 crisis, he said.
According to him, the EU and its member states are the leading supportersof the COVAX Facility, pledging more than 2.47 billion EUR to it. The Facilityaims to provide access to vaccines for every country, in addition to thededicated EU assistance to Southeast Asia, which includes the 800 million EUR“Team Europe” package, to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 to ASEAN and a 20million EUR support programme for WHO activities in the region.
Additionally, the EU has also exported half of its vaccine production,or over 205 million doses, to 45 countries across the globe, including 3.8million doses to Singapore and 2.5 million doses to Malaysia. ASEAN is set toreceive over 32 million doses through the facility by the end of 2021.
Dr Sierk Poetting, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officerof BioNTech, called the scale up of manufacturing capacity a key priority. Henoted the increase of their own capacities from about 1.3 billion doses to upto 3 billion doses within six months and promised to further explore additionalmeans of doing so, such as through licensing agreements with experiencedpartners.
The ASEAN and EU agreed to hold expert dialogues onCOVID-19 vaccines at the 23rd ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting onDecember 1, 2020. Its first edition took place a week later, coveringstrategies and practical aspects of vaccine authorisation, production, anddistribution and attracting over 100 experts./.
In his remark, ASEAN Deputy Secretary General for Socio-Cultural CommunityKung Phoak noted that this cooperative undertaking reaffirms ASEAN’s commitmentto vaccine security and self-reliance which underscores the need to strengthencooperation and stakeholder efforts through knowledge sharing, capacitybuilding and other developmental actions.
He further highlighted that the ASEAN health ministers adopted the RegionalStrategic and Action Plan on ASEAN Vaccine Security and Self-Reliance for2021-2025 on May 14, which will now further accelerate cooperation invaccine-related initiatives in the region.
EU Ambassador to ASEAN Igor Driesmans, for his part, noted that theevent presents an opportunity to engage a unique mix of medical specialists,policy practitioners, and industry representatives from BioNTech. This is thelatest example of the strong partnership which EU and ASEAN have forged sinceMarch 2020 to tackle the COVID-19 crisis, he said.
According to him, the EU and its member states are the leading supportersof the COVAX Facility, pledging more than 2.47 billion EUR to it. The Facilityaims to provide access to vaccines for every country, in addition to thededicated EU assistance to Southeast Asia, which includes the 800 million EUR“Team Europe” package, to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 to ASEAN and a 20million EUR support programme for WHO activities in the region.
Additionally, the EU has also exported half of its vaccine production,or over 205 million doses, to 45 countries across the globe, including 3.8million doses to Singapore and 2.5 million doses to Malaysia. ASEAN is set toreceive over 32 million doses through the facility by the end of 2021.
Dr Sierk Poetting, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officerof BioNTech, called the scale up of manufacturing capacity a key priority. Henoted the increase of their own capacities from about 1.3 billion doses to upto 3 billion doses within six months and promised to further explore additionalmeans of doing so, such as through licensing agreements with experiencedpartners.
The ASEAN and EU agreed to hold expert dialogues onCOVID-19 vaccines at the 23rd ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting onDecember 1, 2020. Its first edition took place a week later, coveringstrategies and practical aspects of vaccine authorisation, production, anddistribution and attracting over 100 experts./.
VNA
