Hanoi (VNA) – Prime MinisterNguyen Xuan Phuc, as the Chairman of ASEAN in 2020, chaired the Special ASEAN andASEAN 3 Summits on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the form of videoconference on April 14.

On this occasion, the PM has granted aninterview on the outcomes of these two important events.

Asked about the challenges that theCOVID-19 pandemic has posed to ASEAN in general and the Vietnam ASEAN ChairmanshipYear 2020 in particular, PM Phuc stressed that the COVID-19 pandemic is the greatestchallenge to humankind and an unprecedented global crisis since after theSecond World War, and also the biggest challenge to the ASEAN during its morethan half a century history of formation and development. After only over threemonths, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused devastating losses of human health andlife as well as social and economic aspects, which are predicted to far surpassthe impact of the 1997 financial crisis in Asia or the global crisis in2008-2009, he said.

He noted that atthis moment, all countries in the ASEAN region have had COVID-19 infections withmore than 18,000 cases and over 740 deaths.
“Not onlycausing great human loss, the pandemic also seriously affected all aspects ofsocio-economic life in ASEAN countries and cooperation and exchange activitiesamong ASEAN members as well as between ASEAN and its partners. All ASEANcountries are forecast to suffer from strong decrease in growth, and some willeven have negative growth. Regarding ASEAN cooperation, statistics of the ASEANSecretariat showed more than 200 meetings of the bloc had to be postponed orcancelled,” PM Phuc said.

He went on tosay that right from the beginning of this year, as Chair of ASEAN, Vietnam, togetherwith other member countries, has actively and urgently made preparations forand got ready to organize activities during the ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2020.However, with the sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and its unprecedentedimpacts on all fields, we had to make necessary adjustments to the plans forthose activities.

According to thePM, with the motto of putting people’s health first, maintaining connectivityand close coordination in preventing and fighting the epidemic, ASEAN member countrieshave organised many important ministerial-level meetings in the form of video conference,as well as meetings with partners such as China, the EU, the US and importantinternational organisations like the WHO to share experience and help for theeffective response to the epidemic. He added that at the same time, we continueto consider holding  important ASEANevents when the epidemic is put under control.

PM Phuc highlighted the quicklyresponse of ASEAN member nations to the COVID-19 pandemic since its outbreak,saying that they have enhanced cohesion in policy and action coordination toeffectively contain the spread of the disease.

“Vietnam early issued an ASEAN Chair's Statement on the bloc's collective response to COVID-19 (on February 14) and heldmany important meetings among ASEAN member states and between the group withits partners to ensure concerted coordination in epidemic prevention, and toshare experience and support to effectively cope with the pandemic”, he said.

The PM called for closer cooperation andsolidarity among ASEAN countries to fight the pandemic, saying that “if weunite, no danger can subdue us”.

“I think that individual efforts need to bereunited, becoming a joint action of the ASEAN Community”, he stressed.

Timely response and close coordination inpolicy and action among the 10 ASEAN member countries will be the decisive factorin containing the epidemic, he said.

Apart from controlling the disease, ASEAN also needs to pay special attention to minimizingsocio-economic impacts caused by the pandemic, PM Phuc said.

It is necessary to takepeople as the centre and ensure social security in the region, leaving no one behind,he noted.

In the immediate future, what needs to be doneis to provide timely support to disadvantaged groups and  financial and economic support packages forbusinesses to help them  stabilise theirproduction and business, and maintain trade activities, he went on.

In the long run, each ASEAN member nation andthe whole Community need to enhance their resilience and preparedness for futureshocks, PM Phuc said, adding that promoting connection and intertwinedinterests, and reducing development gap among member would be the long-termsolutions to challenges similar to COVID-19.

PM Phuc expressed his belief that ASEAN willsoon overcome the pandemic which he said will create a motivation for member nationsto grow stronger together.

PM Phuc underlined thatthe COVID-19 pandemic has proven that the theme “Cohesive and Responsive” thatVietnam has chosen for its ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2020 is timely andcompletely right. Efforts by Vietnam as ASEAN Chair over the past time havereflected the spirit of the theme and that Vietnam has really turned words intospecific actions.

“Joining hands instamping out COVID-19 is the top priority of ASEAN. The way we are working togetherto tackle the pandemic will affirm the mettle and strength of the grouping,” hesaid.
 
Assuming the ASEAN Chairmanship in thisespecially hard time, Vietnam is deeply aware of its responsibility andresolved to stand side by side with other member countries to sail over thecrisis. Right after the pandemic broke out, Vietnam has proactively taken swiftactions, led and coordinated joint efforts of ASEAN, while cooperating withpartners in containing and stemming the spread of the disease and mitigatingits socio-economic impacts.

The PMmentioned some specific actions, first of all the early issue of the Statementof the ASEAN Chair on the grouping’s collective response to COVID-19 in atimely manner, warning about the pandemic threat at an early date, calling for regionaland international cooperation, emphasizing the spirit of intra-bloc solidarityand committing to joining hands in containing and preventing the spread of thedisease, thus ensuring a safe life for the public.

Secondly, Vietnam has flexibly pushed for the organisation ofASEAN meetings in the videoconferencing format. The solution helps the groupmaintain connectivity, close and comprehensive coordination, and promptresponse to COVID-19. The meetings focused on three action orientations –information and experience sharing, policy and action coordination. 

Thirdly, as ASEAN Chair, Vietnam have made efforts to enhancecooperation with other countries and international organisations in order toraise the efficiency of the fight against the pandemic, coordinated and joinedmany important meetings with such partners as China, the EU, the US, the WHOand the online G20 Summit to discuss cooperation for the early control of  the epidemic. 

Such tireless efforts of Vietnam as Chair of ASEAN havebrought about initial results in pandemic prevention and control, PM Phuc said,expressing his belief that together with countries and partners in and outsideASEAN, Vietnam’s efforts will contribute to duplicating good experience andlessons so that the region and the world soon stamp out the pandemic./.