A medical worker checks body temperature of a citizen in north Sumatra, Indonesia (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)
Jakarta (VNA)🅰 - TheAsian Development Bank (ADB) on April 23 approved a loan of 1.5 billion USD tosupport Indonesia's efforts to cushion the impacts of COVID-19.
Theloan will help Indonesia finance measures to mitigate the impacts of thepandemic on public health, livelihoods and the economy, ADB President MasatsuguAsakawa said in a statement.
ADB'sbudget support aims to help the Indonesian government address the challengesposed by COVID-19, with a strong focus on the poor and vulnerable, includingwomen.
ꦅ The quick-disbursing financing for Indonesia is part of a largersupport package ADB will provide to help Indonesia respond to COVID-19.
The loan for Indonesia is part of ADB's rescue package of 20billion USD to assist developing nations in Asia to mitigate risksof the pandemic. This is also part of a loan worth 7 billion USD the ADB, World Bank and Asian InfrastructureInvestment Bank (AIIB) have provided for Indonesia in the fight againstCOVID-19. Indonesia’s economy is expected to rise 2.5 percent this yearcompared to 5.02 percent in 2019, the lowest recorded in decades./.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has said Indonesia may not be affected severely by the global health emergency caused by COVID-19 outbreak, thanks to its minimal exposure to the global trade and its wide room to maneuver in monetary policy.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced on March 12 that it will shut down its headquarters in Manila, the Philippines for cleaning and disinfecting, after one of its visitors was tested positive for the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).
Indonesia’s economy is predicted to grow by only 2.5 percent this year, the lowest over the last four years and a 50-percent decline compared to 2019's growth rate.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
A medical worker checks body temperature of a citizen in north Sumatra, Indonesia (Photo: Xinhua/VNA) 
