Illustrative image (Photo: AFP) Hanoi (VNA) - Leadersof the ASEAN nations and the partner countries of China, Japan and the Republic ofKorea (ASEAN+3) will discuss measures and initiatives during online special summitson April 14 aimed at further enhancing cooperation in the COVID-19 fight and ensuringthat the region’s dynamic and sustainable development continues in the long term.
COVID-19 has spread to all the 10 ASEAN member countries, which had recorded more than 19,200 cases of infection andnearly 800 deaths as at the night of April 12.
Aside from taking its toll onpeople’s health and lives, the pandemic has also affected regional economies, inparticular service sectors which account for 30 percent of ASEAN’s GDP. It hasdisrupted regional and global supply chains, exposed a large number of people tothe risk of job losses, and posed challenges in social security.
Many ASEAN events, including theASEAN-US Special Summit and the 36th ASEAN Summit, have been postponeddue to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Vietnam, as the ASEAN Chair in 2020,has been proactively working to promote the bloc’s solidarity and shared effortagainst the coronavirus.
In an article entitled “ASEAN’s cooperation to combat COVID-19”, DeputyPrime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh wrote: “Vietnam, as the ASEAN Chair, and other ASEAN member stateshave identified the theme of ‘Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN’ for 2020, with theaim of kicking into high gear ASEAN Community building and promoting ASEAN’s rolein a world filled with uncertainties. The sudden outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 virusand the unprecedented consequences and turbulence that have followed testify tothe relevance of this theme and course of action.”
After consulting with other ASEANleaders, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc issuedan ASEAN Chairman’s Statement on the ASEAN Collective Response to the Outbreak ofCOVID-19 on February 14, affirming the bloc’s resolve and political commitment tocontrolling the disease.
The ASEAN CoordinatingCouncil (ACC), comprising foreign ministers of member states, held two meetingson February 20 and April 9 chaired by Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Minh to discussmeasures to boost cooperation within ASEAN and between ASEAN and its partners inresponse to the pandemic.
Meanwhile,emergency response mechanisms for epidemics in ASEAN and ASEAN+3 countries wereactivated shortly after COVID-19 first broke out. ASEAN and Chinese foreign ministersissued a statement on the coronavirus on February 20. One day prior, ASEAN defenseministers adopted a joint statement on defense cooperation in response to the outbreak.The bloc’s economic ministers, meanwhile, released a joint statement on March 10on strengthening ASEAN’s economic resilience to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.
To preparefor the ASEAN and ASEAN+3 special summits, the online ACC meeting on April 9 devisedseveral recommendations that focus on containing the spread of the disease, supportingASEAN citizens affected by the pandemic in member nations and non-ASEAN countries,and mitigating the outbreak’s socio-economic impact. These recommendations willbe submitted to leaders at the upcoming summits.
Additionally,Vietnam recently chaired the first meeting of the ACC Working Group on Public HealthEmergencies while actively working to help foster the bloc’s cooperation with China,the US, and the EU.
The onlineASEAN and ASEAN+3 special summits in response to COVID-19 are considered necessary,via which the bloc and its partners will express their strong commitment and resolveto preventing and eradicating the risks the pandemic poses to people’s lives andsocio-economic stability in the region./.
COVID-19 has spread to all the 10 ASEAN member countries, which had recorded more than 19,200 cases of infection andnearly 800 deaths as at the night of April 12.
Aside from taking its toll onpeople’s health and lives, the pandemic has also affected regional economies, inparticular service sectors which account for 30 percent of ASEAN’s GDP. It hasdisrupted regional and global supply chains, exposed a large number of people tothe risk of job losses, and posed challenges in social security.
Many ASEAN events, including theASEAN-US Special Summit and the 36th ASEAN Summit, have been postponeddue to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Vietnam, as the ASEAN Chair in 2020,has been proactively working to promote the bloc’s solidarity and shared effortagainst the coronavirus.
In an article entitled “ASEAN’s cooperation to combat COVID-19”, DeputyPrime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh wrote: “Vietnam, as the ASEAN Chair, and other ASEAN member stateshave identified the theme of ‘Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN’ for 2020, with theaim of kicking into high gear ASEAN Community building and promoting ASEAN’s rolein a world filled with uncertainties. The sudden outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 virusand the unprecedented consequences and turbulence that have followed testify tothe relevance of this theme and course of action.”
After consulting with other ASEANleaders, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc issuedan ASEAN Chairman’s Statement on the ASEAN Collective Response to the Outbreak ofCOVID-19 on February 14, affirming the bloc’s resolve and political commitment tocontrolling the disease.
The ASEAN CoordinatingCouncil (ACC), comprising foreign ministers of member states, held two meetingson February 20 and April 9 chaired by Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Minh to discussmeasures to boost cooperation within ASEAN and between ASEAN and its partners inresponse to the pandemic.
Meanwhile,emergency response mechanisms for epidemics in ASEAN and ASEAN+3 countries wereactivated shortly after COVID-19 first broke out. ASEAN and Chinese foreign ministersissued a statement on the coronavirus on February 20. One day prior, ASEAN defenseministers adopted a joint statement on defense cooperation in response to the outbreak.The bloc’s economic ministers, meanwhile, released a joint statement on March 10on strengthening ASEAN’s economic resilience to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.
To preparefor the ASEAN and ASEAN+3 special summits, the online ACC meeting on April 9 devisedseveral recommendations that focus on containing the spread of the disease, supportingASEAN citizens affected by the pandemic in member nations and non-ASEAN countries,and mitigating the outbreak’s socio-economic impact. These recommendations willbe submitted to leaders at the upcoming summits.
Additionally,Vietnam recently chaired the first meeting of the ACC Working Group on Public HealthEmergencies while actively working to help foster the bloc’s cooperation with China,the US, and the EU.
The onlineASEAN and ASEAN+3 special summits in response to COVID-19 are considered necessary,via which the bloc and its partners will express their strong commitment and resolveto preventing and eradicating the risks the pandemic poses to people’s lives andsocio-economic stability in the region./.
VNA
