ASEAN member countries commit to coordinating with VN to complete ASEAN priorities

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung  attends the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) at the Deputy Foreign Ministerial level, Ha Noi, May 18, 2020 - Photo: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs

At the meeting, Dung updated the implementation of outcomes from the Special ASEAN Summit and Special ASEAN 3 Summit on COVID-19 (with China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea) on April 14.

He proposed focusing on launching four major outcomes agreed at these meetings including the establishment of a COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund and regional reserve warehouses of medical supplies, development of standard procedures in response to emergency public medical conditions, and building post-COVID-19 recovery plans.

As Viet Nam is making preparations for the 36th ASEAN Summit and related meetings, slated for June, Dung called for close coordination from other ASEAN member countries in the work to ensure success.

Other ASEAN member countries spoke highly Viet Nam’s ASEAN Chairmanship, especially the country’s response to COVID-19 pandemic, asserting their support for the enhancement of the realization of the major results from the Special ASEAN Summit and Special ASEAN 3 Summit on COVID-19 proposed by Viet Nam.

They also committed to coordinating with Viet Nam to complete ASEAN priorities, expressing their hope that the 36th ASEAN Summit will be a success, pledging to join hands with Viet Nam in the preparation work.

The 32nd ASEAN-Australia Forum co-chaired by Malaysia and Australia will also be organized in the teleconferencing format in the upcoming time.

By Thuy Dung