Jakarta (VNA) – The European Unionhas mobilised a “Team Europe” package of over 800 million EUR (920 million USD)to support ASEAN nation in the fight against COVID-19.
Following this “Team Europe” approach, theEU combines its resources with those of member states and financialinstitutions. The funds will support actions at country and regional level toaddress the immediate health crisis, strengthen health, water and sanitationsystems, as well as mitigate the socio-economic impact.
“We are facing an unprecedented healthcrisis with severe consequences in the EU and ASEAN,” said EU Ambassador toASEAN Igor Driesmans.
In the spirit of strong cooperation,building on four decades of region-to-region partnership, the EU has mobiliseda “Team Europe” package to assist ASEAN and its member states to alleviate theeconomic and social impacts of the pandemic, he added.
The package includes regional support tothe World Health Organisation (WHO), as well as to enhance collaborationbetween scientific organisations. In ASEAN countries, programmes target civilsociety support, budget support for economic recovery, health care facilitiesand testing capacities, as well as humanitarian assistance.
The EU is working with ASEAN on a regionallevel to exchange experiences in regional response to the crisis, Driesmans noted.
The first virtual EU-ASEAN ForeignMinisters Meeting held on March 20 agreed that both regions would work togetherto deal with the coronavirus crisis and its consequences.
The EU has announced a “Team Europe”package of almost 36 billion EUR to support partner countries around the globe.
On the ASEAN regional level, the funds willsupport the WHO in Southeast Asia with 20 million EUR to strengthen the healthsystem capacity and to respond to the COVID-19 and future diseases.
It also fosters collaboration with ASEANscientific organisations funded through the EU’s Framework Programme forResearch and Innovation Horizon 2020./.
