Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 26) – Southeast Asian foreign ministers urged the United States to support the creation of a regional fund to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the Special ASEAN-United States Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on COVID-19 on Thursday, foreign ministers in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), among them, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro “Teddy Boy” Locsin Jr. and United States Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, discussed steps to strengthen collaboration on the region’s COVID-19 response.
“ASEAN Member States encouraged the United States to support the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund to address COVID-19 and future public health emergencies,” the joint statement released Sunday said.
Pompeo said the United States has so far released over $35.3 million or roughly ₱1.79 billion in emergency health funding to help ASEAN amid the global health crisis.
“The United States reemphasized its commitment to providing international public health assistance and offered continued support for ASEAN Member States in need of additional assistance,” the statement said.
The nations also discussed further cooperation towards post-pandemic recovery, to address the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 by reinforcing trade and investment, cooperation in the digital economy, supporting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and innovation.
Members said that emergency measures designed to address COVID-19 should be targeted, proportionate, transparent, and temporary, and should not create unnecessary barriers to travel and trade or disruption to global supply chains.
“We emphasized our shared commitment to ensuring, to the maximum extent possible consistent with public health, the stable supply and the swift and continued flow of food, medicines, medical supplies and equipment and other essential goods and commodities as well as the normal flow of trade in other goods and services, and investment across borders to sustain among others, critical economic activities and ensure food security,” the statement said.
Pompeo also introduced the US-ASEAN Health Futures initiative, which is intended to develop the health system capacity of ASEAN nations to better respond to COVID-19 and future health needs.
The US pledged continued support for exchange programs, which so far include the training of 2,400 ASEAN Member States’ medical and health professionals.
“We welcome USAID and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to continue to play a significant role in the capacity building of ASEAN’s health workers,” the statement said.
