ASEAN countries prove effective cooperation in curbing COVID-19: Deputy Defense Minister
VGP - The ASEAN Defense Senior Officials’ Meeting Working Group (ADSOM WG)’s video conference took place in Ha Noi on May 12, aiming to promote Viet Nam’s initiatives in ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2020 and prepare for the ADSOM’s video conference slated for May 15.
 |
|
The ASEAN Defense Senior Officials’ Meeting Working Group (ADSOM WG)’s video conference toakes place in Ha Noi on May 12, 2020. |
Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of National Defense Sen. Lieut. Gen Nguyen Chi Vinh said that ASEAN entered 2020 with a lot of difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic but the initial success in curbing the spread of the disease in the region has proved effective intra-regional cooperation.
ASEAN countries have made accurate forecasts, prepared themselves and cooperated to deal with the non-traditional challenge which caused the disaster in the region and the world, he added.
In early 2020, Viet Nam successfully organized the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Retreat (ADMM Retreat), which issued a joint statement of the ASEAN Defense Ministers on defense cooperation in response to the disease, he added.
Vinh went on to say that during the ADSOM WG’s video conference, the panel discussed how to further promote ASEAN defense cooperation in the context that many countries are still affected by COVID-19 and applying quarantine measures.
When the pandemic is pushed back, the host Viet Nam vows to do all it can to complete the ASEAN agendas in 2020 with the best results and highest safety, the Deputy Minister affirmed.
He hoped the pandemic will not hinder or suspend the bloc’s activities. Instead, ASEAN could even do more when utilizing effectively information technology such as organizing online activities.
Vinh suggested re-evaluating the effectiveness of bilateral and multilateral defense cooperation among ASEAN countries on the prevention and control of COVID-19, as well as the ASEAN agendas 2020 while preparing a new plan for optimal results.
The Deputy Minister strongly recommended discussing the preparation for the ASEAN military medical drills to cope with non-traditional security challenges, including disease prevention and control.
Apart from cooperation within the framework of ASEAN, he proposed expanding the exchange among working group leaders on collaboration under the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus (ADMM ).
He also called on the bloc to step up efforts to push back and stamp out the COVID-19 pandemic./.
By Hoang Ha
