Indonesia leads ASEAN travel corridor arrangement task force
Indonesia has been chosen by ASEAN members to lead the ASEAN Travel Corridor Arrangement Task Force (ATCAF) to discuss with stakeholders on an ASEAN Travel Corridor Arrangement Framework and its operation procedures to support post-pandemic economic recovery in the region.
Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi (Source: VNA)
Jakarta (VNA) - Indonesia has beenchosen by ASEAN members to lead the ASEANTravel Corridor Arrangement Task Force (ATCAF) to discuss with stakeholders on an ASEANTravel Corridor Arrangement Framework and its operationprocedures to support post-pandemic economic recovery in the region.
Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudisaid on January 21 that the decision was made at the ASEANForeign Ministers' Retreat (AMM Retreat) whichwas held as an online meeting on the same day.
The task force is expected to complete the work in the first quarter of 2021, Retnosaid.
The establishment of a travel corridor among Southeast Asian countries wasfirstly proposed by Indonesia at the 36th ASEAN Summit in June 2020 in responseto the COVID-19 pandemic, which has devastated the regional economy.
This initiative will create favorable conditions for important economic andbusiness actors, and thus it is expected to revive regional economic activitieswithout neglecting health aspect.
The initiative was welcomed by all ASEAN member countries and supported byASEAN Secretary-General Dato Lim Jock Hoi.
Lim evaluated the travel corridor as one of the efforts to ensure that theSoutheast Asian market remains open during the pandemic, which is a key factorto accelerate the economic recovery in ASEAN member countries.
In addition to agreeing on travel corridor arrangements, ASEAN has receivednearly 13.6 million USD from the reallocation of cooperation funds from ASEANand its partner countries committed to contribute to the bloc’s COVID-19 responsefund. The money will be used to fund the bloc’s efforts to cope with thepandemic./.
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Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi (Source: VNA)
