Asean's unity can overcome Covid-19 pandemic challenges, says Hishammuddin

[Job Bautista]

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2021/08/08/asean039s-unity-can-overcome-covid-19-pandemic-challenges-says-hishammuddin

> As Asean turned 54, Malaysia's Foreign Minister Datuk Seri
> Hishammuddin Hussein (pic) said the unity of Asean has enabled it to
> collectively overcome challenges ranging from global financial crises
> to climate change to natural disasters and now, the Covid-19
> pandemic.
>
> In his message in conjunction with the 54th Asean Day on Sunday (Aug
> 8), Hishammuddin said the impacts of Covid-19 on lives and
> livelihoods were devastating, from the overstretched capacity of the
> healthcare sector to the loss of earnings.
>
> "Asean will never relent and (will) remain steadfast in fighting the
> Covid-19 pandemic shoulder-to-shoulder with the rest of the world to
> show humanity will overcome this great challenge together and emerge
> stronger,” he said.
>
> Hishammuddin said the emergence of new Covid-19 variants and the
> prospect that the disease would become endemic required governments
> all over the world to rethink their strategies.
>
> "As no country or region has the same capabilities and approaches in
> dealing with the pandemic, a 'cookie-cutter' method may not work.
> Therefore, efforts to be undertaken must be dynamic and flexible,
> befitting the local needs and criteria," he said.
>
> Since early 2020, Hishammuddin said, Asean had taken proactive steps
> through a series of engagements and information exchanges among
> member states and external partners, with the purpose of enhancing
> regional capabilities in prevention, detection, response and
> readiness to address the outbreak.
>
> He said Asean had implemented several strategies and frameworks to
> face the imminent rise of COVID-19, while mitigating its impact on
> its economy and ensuring the well-being of the people.
>
> During the Special Asean Summit on Covid-19 in April 2020, Asean
> leaders had unanimously agreed on the critical need for Asean to
> focus on tackling the economic and social ramifications of the
> pandemic, while working towards a post-pandemic recovery plan for
> Asean .
>
> At the summit, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had proposed
> for Asean to formulate a regional economic recovery plan to
> coordinate a regional response, he added.
>
> Subsequently, Hishammuddin said, the Asean Comprehensive Recovery
> Framework (ACRF), which serves as a guide for strategic directions
> and focus for pandemic recovery and support in Asean , was adopted
> during the 37th Asean Summit and related summit in November 2020.
>
> He said that through ACRF several broad strategies were formulated
> which include enhancing regional health systems, strengthening human
> security, maximising the potential of intra-Asean market and broader
> economic integration, and accelerating inclusive digital
> transformation.
>
> All these strategies were implemented within the existing frameworks
> of Asean with support from all its external partners, he said.
>
> To accelerate the recovery following the pandemic, Hishammuddin said
> Asean had embarked on an effort to address the shortages of test
> kits, personal protective equipment and vaccines through the Covid-19
> Asean Response Fund.
>
> The fund, serving as a pool of financial resources, would assist all
> Asean member states in the detection, control and prevention of
> Covid-19 transmissions as well as ensuring the safety of medical
> workers and frontliners, he said.
>
> Hishammuddin said the Asean Travel Corridor Arrangement Framework
> (ATCAF), whose objective is to revive and reinvigorate economic
> activities, was formulated to facilitate the movement of essential
> business travellers within Asean , while strictly observing health
> protocols.
>
> Hishammuddin said the pandemic’s impact on mental health could no
> longer be ignored and it is another aspect that Asean is seriously
> looking into.
>
> Acknowledging the importance of mental health, Hishammuddin said
> Asean and its external partners had embarked on several initiatives
> to share experience, exchange information on best practices, as well
> as formulate policies to tackle the issue.
>
> Asean was working hand-in-hand with the public, experts and civil
> society organisations in finding the best possible solutions to
> mitigate the issue of mental health, he said.
>
> Realising vaccination was the most viable tool to emerge victorious
> from the pandemic, Hishammuddin said Asean continued to call for fair
> and equitable vaccine distribution to all nations, an effort which
> has been repeatedly made in all of Asean's engagements.
>
> Established on Aug 8, 1967, Asean is a regional grouping comprising
> Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the
> Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

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Job Bautista

An XUL fanatic, and an add-ons developer. I also do some simple
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I like Cyndaquil. He's obviously the best Pokemon starter. Every Johto
Pokemon is cool too.

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