Indonesia Pushes for Special ASEAN Summit in Fight Against COVID-19
President Jokowi and ASEAN leaders at the Opening Ceremony of the 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok, Thailand. (Photo by: Cabinet Secretariat Archive).
The Special ASEAN Summit and the Special ASEAN Plus Three Summit on COVID-19 are slated to be convened on Tuesday (14/4) through a video conference.
The summit is a follow up to the 25th Meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Council by Minister of Foreign Affairs of ASEAN Member Countries through a video conference on Thursday (9/4).
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said that Indonesia is one of the countries that took the initiative to strive for the convening of the two summits.
“We cannot afford to postpone the summits amid the world’s situation and ASEAN is struggling to handle the impacts of COVID-19. The Special Summit will be very strategic to ramp up joint efforts in the fight against COVID-19,” she said.
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is expected to take part in the two special summits through a video conference.
The ASEAN Special Summit will discuss joint efforts in handling, containing and mitigating the impacts of COVID-19, ensuring the smooth regional supply chain for food, medicines and other essential goods, protecting ASEAN citizens and utilizing a number of cooperation with ASEAN Plus Three.
The summit is also expected to produce a Declaration of the Special ASEAN Summit on COVID-19 which contains ASEAN’s commitment to continue to make effective responses to the pandemic through a coherent, multi-sectoral, multi-stakeholder approach and involving the ASEAN Community as a whole.
As for the Special ASEAN Plus Three Summit, it is expected to agree on a Joint Statement of the Special ASEAN Plus Three Summit on COVID-19 which will affirm a shared commitment to strengthen solidarity, as well as enhance cooperation and mutual support between ASEAN and ASEAN Plus Three countries in controlling, containing, and handling the impacts of the pandemic on the people and the economy.
The ASEAN Summit will be chaired by PM of Viet Nam as Chair of ASEAN and will be joined by ten Heads of States/Governments of ASEAN Member Countries, while the Special ASEAN Plus Three Summit will also be followed by Heads of States/Governments of ASEAN Plus Three member countries comprising China, Japan and South Korea. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Translator: Muhardi
Reviewed by: M. Ersan Pamungkas
