Deputy Foreign Minister To Anh Dung speaks at the seminar (Photo: Baoquocte) Hanoi (VNA) - Deputy Foreign Minister To Anh Dung on January 15 highlighted the need to enhance international cooperation in the fight against COVID-19, especially as the disease still threatens the lives of millions of people around the world.
Addressing a seminar held jointly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the French Embassy in Vietnam to discuss measures to further promote international cooperation in responding to health challenges, Dung said no country or territory can control the pandemic on its own.
Along with domestic efforts to contain the spread of the disease, as a responsible member of the international community, Vietnam advocates the policy of joining hands with other countries in the fight, Dung affirmed.
Vietnam supports the World Health Organisation (WHO) in its role in coordinating global pandemic control efforts, Dung said, adding that as Chair of ASEAN in 2020 Vietnam promoted intra-bloc cooperation in preventing and controlling the pandemic.
Participants at the event (Photo: Baoquocte) Within the framework of the UN, Vietnam proposed an “International Day of Epidemic Preparedness”, which aims to raise the awareness of individuals, communities, states, and the international community on the need to have a permanent sense of epidemic prevention in all activities.
The initiative was approved by the UN, receiving huge support and sponsorship from the international community, the official said.
WHO Chief Representative in Vietnam Kidong Park said Vietnam’s pandemic prevention efforts have proven effective compared to countries with a larger or equal population.
He congratulated the country on clinical trial of its first COVID-19 vaccine, expressing his hope that it will record more achievements in vaccine production.
Participants discussed Vietnam’s experience and policies on bilateral and multilateral cooperation in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic as well as other health threats, and the role of WHO in disease prevention.
They also emphasised the necessity of further enhancing global coordination in producing vaccines./.
VNA
