Head of the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) Vietnam, Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – A teleconference of senior officials of ASEAN and theUS was held on April 1 to promote coordination between the two sides in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic and public health challenges.
The event was co-chaired by Head of the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM)Vietnam, Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung who is also Chairman of the ASEANCoordinating Council Working Group (ACCWG), and US Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau ofEast Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell.
Participantsshared updated information on the developments of COVID-19, and measures tocontrol and constrain the pandemic, while confirming their commitment to furtherstrengthening cooperation in fighting the disease.
They agreedto actively share information andexperience, provide technical assistance for one another, and exchange scientific research on ways to control and prevent infectionand treat COVID-19 cases; and maintain close coordination among their relevant agenciesin the work at all levels in the coming time.
ASEAN member nations applauded the US for its support to them in the fight, including the US’s assistance worth 19million USD and its plan to support ASEAN in establishing a regional diseasecontrol centre.
The ASEANside also asked the US to coordinate in training medical staff, and giving morescholarships to ASEAN students to pursue public health studies major in the US.
The two sides agreed to maintain measures to ensure the safety for citizens ofeach side that have been affected by the epidemic.
Stilwell spoke highly of ASEAN's efforts and achievements in dealing with thedisease.
He thanked the ASEAN countries for creating favourable conditions for UScitizens to return from the epidemic areas, affirming that the US willprovide support for citizens of ASEAN member countries living, studying andworking in the US.
Thetwo sides affirmed that they will actively coordinate to intensify measures inorder to minimise socio-economic impact caused by the pandemic, maintain openmarkets, stabilise the exchange of trade, services and investment, and ensure thesupply of essential goods, especially medical supplies.
He thanked the ASEAN countries for creating favourable conditions for UScitizens to return from the epidemic areas, affirming that the US willprovide support for citizens of ASEAN member countries living, studying andworking in the US.
Thetwo sides affirmed that they will actively coordinate to intensify measures inorder to minimise socio-economic impact caused by the pandemic, maintain openmarkets, stabilise the exchange of trade, services and investment, and ensure thesupply of essential goods, especially medical supplies.
DeputyFM Dung emphasised that ASEAN's proactive and timely response efforts havebrought about initial results in the fight.
He also updated participants on Vietnam’s policies to effectively combat the disease,adding that with its drastic measures, Vietnam is well controlling thepandemic.
The official also proposed cooperation orientations betweenASEAN and the US in controlling and preventing the spread of the disease, aswell as in coping with negative socio-economic impact, affirming that Vietnamwill actively promote the coordination of ASEAN’s efforts for this work./.
He also updated participants on Vietnam’s policies to effectively combat the disease,adding that with its drastic measures, Vietnam is well controlling thepandemic.
The official also proposed cooperation orientations betweenASEAN and the US in controlling and preventing the spread of the disease, aswell as in coping with negative socio-economic impact, affirming that Vietnamwill actively promote the coordination of ASEAN’s efforts for this work./.
VNA
