At the Special ASEAN Summit on COVID-19 (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The online ASEAN Special Summit and ASEAN+3 Special Summit onCOVID-19 response are taking place today in Hanoi.
In his capacity as ASEAN 2020 Chair, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will chair the meetings.
Leadersof the 10-nation bloc and their partners from the three ASEAN partners, namely China, the Republicof Korea, and Japan, will discuss specific measures and initiatives to furtherstrengthen cooperation in the fight against the pandemic to ensure dynamic andsustainable development in the region in the long run.
They are expected to adopt a joint statement of the ASEAN Summit and another of theASEAN+3 Special Summit on COVID-19 response, in which they will affirm their strong commitment to and determination in preventing and eliminating the risk ofthe pandemic which is threatening people's lives, and in stabilising the socio-economic situation ineach member state.
In his recent article on ASEAN’s cooperation to combat the pandemic, DeputyPrime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said based on exchanges and experiences to date, ASEAN and itspartners should focus on a number of measures in responding to and repellingCOVID-19.
Primarily is mustering common resources, particularly theregion’s medical equipment stock to meet emergency needs; establish acooperation fund for countering the pandemic while utilising existingresources and assistance from partners, including the United Nations (UN) andthe World Health Organization (WHO).
Secondly, raising the effectiveness of coordinatingpolicies and actions on the basis of a common framework, focusing on buildingan ASEAN common approach in pandemic-related situations and, in the immediate future,organising online drills on pandemic response between countries.
Thirdly, understanding that battling the pandemic must gohand in hand with battling economic recession and social instabilities, inwhich the people are placed at the heart. No country should be left alone andno one should be left behind in this battle.
Fourthly, developing a COVID-19 exit strategy in each country and forge regionalcoordination for an early suppression of the pandemic and bringing countries’socio-economic activities back to their normal and stable state. And
Fifthly, upholding and adhering to the common values on freetrade, investment facilitation, avoiding the disruption of supply chains;quickly normalising trade activities and cross-border transport once the pandemicis put under control, so that all engines are utilised for inclusive andsustainable socio-economic recovery and development in the region./.
