Jakarta (VNA) – The 37th ASEAN Summit and relatedmeetings concluded on a high note, showing the wider region and the world thatthe COVID-19 pandemic could neither derail ASEAN’s commitments nor delay its plans,affirmed Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Thailand to ASEAN PhaspornSangasubana.
She said during the meetings among ASEAN Member States andwith its Dialogue Partners, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha highlightedthe importance of public health cooperation, in particular on vaccine security,and the need to promote regional stability that is conducive to economicrecovery.
He also reiterated Thailand’s commitment to strengthen cooperation with otherASEAN Member States and relevant partners to enhance human security, includingin the areas of universal health coverage, human capital development, andsustainable development, in order to truly realize a people-centered ASEANCommunity that leaves no one behind.
Regaridng ASEAN’sachievements this year, Phasporn said in order to cope with thespread of COVID-19 and alleviate its economic impacts as well as to build backbetter, ASEAN began working almost immediately after the detection of the firstcase of infection.
Following the Special ASEAN Summit on COVID-19 and the Special ASEAN Plus ThreeSummit on COVID-19 on April 14, ASEAN set up the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fundand the ASEAN Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies.
“We adopted the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework and its ImplementationPlan, and most recently the ASEAN Declaration on an ASEAN Travel CorridorArrangement Framework. We also established the ASEAN Centre for Public HealthEmergencies and Emerging Diseases and finalized the ASEAN Strategic Frameworkon Public Health Emergencies,” he added.
However, she noted that ASEAN’s key performances this year do not limit to thoserelated to COVID-19. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEPwas signed yesterday on 15 November 2020. It is now the largest free tradeagreement and its early implementation can help increase strategic value forASEAN in global trade and investment.
According to theambassador, the signing of RCEP will help mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 onASEAN economies and accelerate our recovery. It also attests to ASEAN’s resolveto advance regional economic integration and commitment to a free and openmultilateral trading system.
“Thailand expects the RCEP to re-invigorate regional trade and investment,restore the much-needed business confidence, and demonstrate to the world thatour market is ready to rebound,” she stated.
Assessing Vietnam’s ASEAN chairmanship role, she said thecountry, as the current Chair of ASEAN, has quickly adapted to the changingcircumstances amidst the COVID-19 pandemic by conducting virtual, instead offace-toface, meetings throughout the year. Not only has this ensured thatimportant deliverables can be achieved according to plan, but also enabledASEAN to continue engagement among ourselves and with partners.
Following the success of Vietnam’s initiative to hold the ASEAN Summit onCOVID-19 and the Special ASEAN Plus Three Summit on COVID-19, ASEAN has held anumber of high-level meetings to exchange information and foster cooperation toaddress the pandemic, including with the EU, the US, Australia, and the UK, sheadded.
Regarding the challenges and opportunities facing ASEAN in the coming time, Phasporn said the current global political economy presents a complex set of policydecisions for governments around the world. "We have witnessed the intensifyingtensions between major powers partly exacerbated by the pandemic. With theregional economy projected to contract by 3.8 percent in 2020, it is importantto preserve regional stability in order to create an environment conducive fortackling the COVID-19 pandemic and for economic recovery," she said.
Given this context, the spirit of “cohesive and responsive” ASEAN is needednow more than ever. ASEAN needs to be “cohesive” and stand firm in its beliefin multilateralism and regionalism while maintaining its centrality in theregional architecture with emphasis on Mutual trust, Mutual benefit, and Mutualrespect, the diplomat stressed.
The ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific should be used a tool to encourage majorpowers to constructively interact with ASEAN Member States in order to promotethe region’s sustainable socio-economic development, she concluded./.
She said during the meetings among ASEAN Member States andwith its Dialogue Partners, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha highlightedthe importance of public health cooperation, in particular on vaccine security,and the need to promote regional stability that is conducive to economicrecovery.
He also reiterated Thailand’s commitment to strengthen cooperation with otherASEAN Member States and relevant partners to enhance human security, includingin the areas of universal health coverage, human capital development, andsustainable development, in order to truly realize a people-centered ASEANCommunity that leaves no one behind.
Regaridng ASEAN’sachievements this year, Phasporn said in order to cope with thespread of COVID-19 and alleviate its economic impacts as well as to build backbetter, ASEAN began working almost immediately after the detection of the firstcase of infection.
Following the Special ASEAN Summit on COVID-19 and the Special ASEAN Plus ThreeSummit on COVID-19 on April 14, ASEAN set up the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fundand the ASEAN Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies.
“We adopted the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework and its ImplementationPlan, and most recently the ASEAN Declaration on an ASEAN Travel CorridorArrangement Framework. We also established the ASEAN Centre for Public HealthEmergencies and Emerging Diseases and finalized the ASEAN Strategic Frameworkon Public Health Emergencies,” he added.
However, she noted that ASEAN’s key performances this year do not limit to thoserelated to COVID-19. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership or RCEPwas signed yesterday on 15 November 2020. It is now the largest free tradeagreement and its early implementation can help increase strategic value forASEAN in global trade and investment.
According to theambassador, the signing of RCEP will help mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 onASEAN economies and accelerate our recovery. It also attests to ASEAN’s resolveto advance regional economic integration and commitment to a free and openmultilateral trading system.
“Thailand expects the RCEP to re-invigorate regional trade and investment,restore the much-needed business confidence, and demonstrate to the world thatour market is ready to rebound,” she stated.
Assessing Vietnam’s ASEAN chairmanship role, she said thecountry, as the current Chair of ASEAN, has quickly adapted to the changingcircumstances amidst the COVID-19 pandemic by conducting virtual, instead offace-toface, meetings throughout the year. Not only has this ensured thatimportant deliverables can be achieved according to plan, but also enabledASEAN to continue engagement among ourselves and with partners.
Following the success of Vietnam’s initiative to hold the ASEAN Summit onCOVID-19 and the Special ASEAN Plus Three Summit on COVID-19, ASEAN has held anumber of high-level meetings to exchange information and foster cooperation toaddress the pandemic, including with the EU, the US, Australia, and the UK, sheadded.
Regarding the challenges and opportunities facing ASEAN in the coming time, Phasporn said the current global political economy presents a complex set of policydecisions for governments around the world. "We have witnessed the intensifyingtensions between major powers partly exacerbated by the pandemic. With theregional economy projected to contract by 3.8 percent in 2020, it is importantto preserve regional stability in order to create an environment conducive fortackling the COVID-19 pandemic and for economic recovery," she said.
Given this context, the spirit of “cohesive and responsive” ASEAN is needednow more than ever. ASEAN needs to be “cohesive” and stand firm in its beliefin multilateralism and regionalism while maintaining its centrality in theregional architecture with emphasis on Mutual trust, Mutual benefit, and Mutualrespect, the diplomat stressed.
The ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific should be used a tool to encourage majorpowers to constructively interact with ASEAN Member States in order to promotethe region’s sustainable socio-economic development, she concluded./.
VNA
