Illustrative photo (Source: mfaic.gov.kh)Phnom Penh (VNA) – Cambodia’s Ministry ofForeign Affairs and International Cooperation, on December 1, issued a pressrelease on the outcome of the 23rd ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting, taking intoaccount progress in the sides’ cooperation, particularly their join efforts inCOVID-19 prevention and control.
Per the release, the meeting noted the progress ofcooperation via the implementation of the ASEAN-EU Plan of Action for 2018 –2022 and exchanged views on how both regions can enhance collaboration tofurther strengthen their partnership, and to address immediate common concernsuch as COVID-19 outbreaks and other public health emergencies, andpost-pandemic economic recovery.
It said ASEAN member states welcomed the EU’s continuedsupport for ASEAN centrality and Community building as well as the bloc’sannouncement of 20 million EUR in support of the “Southeast Asia Heath PandemicResponse and Preparedness Programme”. They recognised the significance of theEU’s contribution of up to 500 million EUR to support COVAX facility toaccelerate and scale-up the development and manufacturing of a global supply ofvaccines for all.
The meeting committed to creating a practical framework foran ASEAN-EU Free Trade Agreement and looked forward to its realisation. Itadopted the ASEAN-EU Joint Ministerial Statement on Connectivity, andappreciated efforts to explore synergies between the “Master Plan on ASEANConnectivity 2025” and “Connecting Europe and Asia: The EU Strategy”. It also concurredto work towards the early conclusion of the ASEAN-EU Comprehensive AirTransport Agreement./.
VNA
