Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai, together with all other ASEAN Foreign Ministers and the Secretary-General of ASEAN attended the 25th ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) Meeting on the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in ASEAN via video conference to reaffirm commitment to intensify cooperation in response to COVID-19 in the region and discuss measures to address the outbreak and mitigate its far-reaching impact.

 

On 9 April 2020, H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand, attended the 25th ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) Meeting on the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in ASEAN via video conference. The Meeting was chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam as the ASEAN Chair in 2020. Also in attendance were the Foreign Ministers of all 10 ASEAN Member States and the Secretary-General of ASEAN.

 

The Meeting reaffirmed ASEAN’s collective commitment to intensify cooperation in response to COVID-19 in the region. The Meeting also discussed measures to address the outbreak and mitigate its far-reaching impact through a holistic approach in various areas of cooperation, such as exchanging information and best practices, enhancing the effectiveness of public communication in disseminating accurate and timely information and countering fake news, maintaining continued economic integration and supply chain in the region, especially unimpeded flows of essential goods and services as well as strengthening cooperation with all stakeholders and ASEAN’s external partners. 

 

The Meeting endorsed the recommendations from the First Meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Council Working Group on Public Health Emergencies (ACCWG-PHE). Key measures highlighted in the recommendations include (1) enhancing capacity in the containment and control of the spread of COVID-19, which includes Thailand’s proposal to establish a COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund to procure medical supplies and equipment for ASEAN Member States as well as support research and development of medicines and vaccines; (2) providing assistance to ASEAN nationals in ASEAN Member States and in third countries; and (3) mitigating the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, which includes preparing a post-pandemic recovery plan to restore business and social activities in ASEAN as soon as possible.

 

The Meeting also discussed preparations for the upcoming Special ASEAN Summit and Special ASEAN Plus Three Summit on COVID-19 via video conference to be convened on 14 April 2020.