ASEAN collects COVID-19 aid worth over 1.2 billion USD from dialogue partners
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has obtained over 1.2 billion USD worth of combined assistance from 11 dialogue partners, including the most recent one – the UK, according to data collected by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ ASEAN Department.
Bangkok (VNA) - The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has obtained over 1.2billion USD worth of combined assistance from 11 dialogue partners, including themost recent one – the UK, according to data collected by the Thai Ministry of ForeignAffairs’ ASEAN Department.
Citing the data, news website ThaiPBS World reported that almost all the countries have contributed special funds forASEAN to prepare and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The article wrote the European Union (EU) was the most generous. Through itsTeam Europe, the bloc provided 941 million USD (800 million EUR) with anadditional 5 million USD coming from Germany and 2 million USD from Italy. Bothnations are also development partners of ASEAN.
In addition, the US gave a total of 158 million USD to ASEANmembers to fight the pandemic. Last week when US Secretary of State AntonyBlinken held talks virtually with ASEAN foreign ministers, the UScontributed another 500,000 USD to the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund.
China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and India eachcontributed 1 million USD to the fund. The figures for Australia, New Zealand,and Canada were 1 million AUD (735,576 USD), 1 million NZD (701,000 USD), and 3.5 million CAT (2.8 million USD), respectively.
Among the ASEAN plus three partners, Japan came out on topwith the allocation of 50 million USD to fund the establishment of the ASEANCenter for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases.
China has also provided 5 million USD to strengthen thecapacity of ASEAN member nations in response to the pandemic.
As a new dialogue partner, the UK made a strong impressionon ASEAN with the contribution of 69.4 million USD (50 million GBP),including 10.4 million USD (7.5 million GBP) for the COVID-19 ASEAN ResponseFund./.
ASEAN member states, including Vietnam, have agreed to set aside 10.5 million USD from the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund to purchase vaccines for their citizens on the basis of equal distribution to all 10 countries.
The unity of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has enabled it to collectively overcome challenges, ranging from global financial crises to climate change, to natural disasters and now, the COVID-19 pandemic, Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein has said.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Illustrative photo (Source: VNA)
