 Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh chairs the AMM 53. |
A joint communiqué of the 53rd ASEAN Ministers’ Meeting acknowledged ASEAN’s accomplishments over the year and Vietnam’s initiatives to respond to the pandemic. ASEAN countries and partners have pledged to cooperate in the fight against COVID-19.
Vietnam’s initiatives are ASEAN’s initiatives
Since early this year when the pandemic had not yet spread, Vietnam quickly took many steps and proposed ideas for ASEAN countries to fight the pandemic together in a “cohesive and responsive” way.
In April Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc chaired special online COVID-19 summits of ASEAN and ASEAN+3. ASEAN issued an 18-point Declaration to enhance coordination at national and regional level and affirm unity in the fight against the pandemic.
ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi said that ASEAN leaders, through Vietnam's chairmanship, issued a statement to declare their solidarity and support and ASEAN can work together to make sure that we cooperate and collaborate to address this very important matter of security health for people in ASEAN.
ASEAN has established a COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund, initiated by Vietnam, and regional reserves of medical supplies, and formulated an ASEAN standard operating procedure for public health emergencies.
Vu Ho, Head of the ASEAN Department of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said: “Over the past 8 months, Vietnam has done an outstanding job. It has mobilized resources to respond to the pandemic. It has called for support from partners and dialogue countries for ASEAN’s activities. ASEAN’s activities and meetings have been held across the board. All of ASEAN’s partners appreciate Vietnam’s role and are ready to help fight the pandemic.”
While many countries have had trouble fighting the pandemic, Vietnam and ASEAN have found a common voice. At a meeting of ASEAN representatives and the UN on Tuesday, Khaled Khiari, an Assistant to the UN Secretary General in the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, said the UN supports COVID-19 initiatives by ASEAN and Vietnam.
Determination to reset
The COVID-19 pandemic has severely damaged the global economy, but a cohesive and responsive ASEAN has found a way to stimulate economic growth and promote financial self-reliance.
With experience gained in the regional financial crisis of 1997 and the global crisis of 2008-2009, and the advantages of each nation, ASEAN will confidently overcome the COVID-19 pandemic.