Hanoi: At the special virtual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Tuesday, leaders of the 10 member states affirmed that the bloc’s current leading priority was controlling the COVID-19 pandemic and preventing it from spreading further.
The 10 ASEAN members, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and the ASEAN Secretary-General agreed that the countries should join hands with one another and with other nations to prevent the global pandemic from spreading further, with focus on preventing cross-border infections, reports Xinhua news agency.
The leaders also stated that the ASEAN should pay due attention to taking measures to minimize the socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19. The countries should forge closer coordination in protecting their citizens, providing social security services as well as economic stimulus and aid packages, and maintaining supply chains to protect people and assist small- and medium-sized enterprises.
The ASEAN leaders also touched upon mapping out plans to recover the economy in the post-pandemic period, including stepping up intra-block trade, speeding up negotiations and then finalizing economic cooperation deals, implementing economic stimulus packages, and enhancing the capability of coping with external shocks.
When the summit, the first of its kind held by the ASEAN via video-conference, wrapped up, they adopted the Declaration of the Special ASEAN Summit on COVID-19, showing their political commitment about solidarity and cooperation within the regional grouping as well as with its partners.
The leaders affirmed that solidarity and cooperation is the strength which will help the nations win the war against the COVID-19 pandemic. (IANS)
