Jakarta (VNA) – Chargé d'Affaires of the US Missionto ASEAN Melissa A. Brown has affirmed that Washington commends Vietnamfor its efforts as ASEAN Chair during this challenging time caused by 👍COVID-19ℱ.

In an interview recentlygranted to the Vietnam News Agency, Brown said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo praises Vietnamfor its work convening ASEAN Foreign Ministers and dialogue partners duringthese unprecedented times.

"Vietnam’s 2020 ASEAN Chairmanship is an opportunity to strengthen regional cooperation and collaboration. ASEAN demonstrates its effecti▨veness when the member states are unified and speak with one voice on regional security and economic challenges, she said.

She expressedher hope that underVietnam’s Chairmanship, ASEAN will stand together to address pressing regionalchallenges, such as maritime security, trans-national crime, terrorism,humanitarian crises, and the protection of human rights of the region’s mostvulnerable populations. Brown stressed that ASEAN is atthe centre of the US’s vision for the Indo-Pacific region. At the ASEAN-USMinisterial Meeting, Secretary Pompeo reiterated the US’s support for the ASEANOutlook on the Indo-Pacific and declared yet again that the US is an enduring,strategic partner to ASEAN. At the meeting, Secretary Pompeo,along with the ASEAN foreign ministers, highlighted the breadth and depth ofthe US engagement and commitment to ASEAN on regional political, security,economic, and cultural issues. He announced new initiatives todevelop human capital and health through the US-ASEAN Health Futuresinitiative, including a new programme to support an ASEAN Public HealthEmergency Coordination System and the launch of the Young Southeast AsianLeaders Initiative (YSEALI) Academy at Fulbright University Vietnam. At the 10th East AsiaSummit Ministerial Meeting, Secretary Pompeo highlighted US support forprinciples of openness, inclusiveness, transparency, and respect forinternational law, which are shared with the ASEAN’s Outlook on the IndoPacific. At the 27th ASEAN Regional Forum Ministerial Meeting,Deputy Secretary Stephen Biegun also reiterated the importance of ensuring peaceand security on the Korean Peninsula and highlighted US’s efforts andinvestments to advance the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda in theIndo-Pacific region, she said.

According to her, Biegun, onbehalf of Secretary Pompeo, also co-chaired the inaugural Mekong-US PartnershipMeeting and launched the Mekong-US Partnership with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar,Thailand and Vietnam, in the presence of the ASEAN Secretary General. ThePartnership will expand on cooperation begun in 2009 under the Lower MekongInitiative by strengthening the autonomy, economic independence, andsustainable development of the Mekong partner countries.
           
During the above meetings, Pompeo conveyed a clearmessage on marine security and the nee💫d to halt aggressive and destabilisingpolicies, including in the East Sea and the Mekong region. He said the US andthe ASEAN member states share the common position that all disputes in the EastSea should be resolved peacefully and in line with international law, namely the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

COVID-19 is an unprecedentedglobal challenge and at the ASEAN ministerial meetings, Secretary Pompeooutlined the US’s efforts to leverage all available resources to develop safe,effective, affordable, and widely available vaccines and therapeutics to fightagainst the virus. The US Government has allocated 20.5 billion USD for thedevelopment of vaccines and therapeutics, preparedness efforts, and otherforeign assistance. The US also provided over 87 million USD in emergencyhealth and humanitarian assistance for ASEAN countries. The Secretary praisedASEAN’s unity and transparency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in hisdiscussions.

At last, Pompeo underscored the US’scommitment to using all the tools at its disposal, including the support of theAmerican private sector, to partner with the region in economic recoveryefforts.

Trade in goods and services between the US and ASEANwas oꦺver 354 billion USD in 2019 and ASEAN is the US’s fourth largest 𝄹tradingpartner. Programmes like the ASEAN Single Window, the US-ASEAN InternshipProgramme, and the US-ASEAN Smart Cities Partnership are facilitating greatertrade, creating new opportunities, and improving the lives of people across theregion, Brown said./.