State Counsellor participates in online Special ASEAN Summit, ASEAN+3 Summit on COVID-19

Date: April 15, 2020

State Counsellor and Chairperson of the National-Level Central Committee on Prevention, Control and Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Daw Aung San Suu Kyi participated in the video conferences of the Special ASEAN Summit on COVID-19 at 7:30 am and the Special ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Summit on COVID-19 at 1:30 pm yesterday from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nay Pyi Taw.

The Special ASEAN Summit and Special ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Summit were chaired by Mr Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister of Viet Nam in his capacity as Chair of ASEAN. The Special ASEAN Summit was attended by Leaders of the ASEAN Member States and the Secretary-General of ASEAN. The Special ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Summit was attended by Leaders of the ASEAN Member States, Leaders of the People’s Republic of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Secretary-General of ASEAN.

At the Special ASEAN Summit and Special ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Summit, the Leaders shared their national efforts as well as experiences and best practices in the prevention, control and treatment of COVID-19. The Leaders also exchanged views on promoting public awareness and people’s participation in preventing and controlling COVID-19, strengthening exchange of real-time information on the situation on the ground and response measures taken by each country, providing appropriate assistance and support to the nationals of ASEAN Member States affected by the pandemic in each country or in third countries, establishing the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund, deepening cooperation in joint research and development of vaccines and anti-viral medicines, enhancing human resources and capacity for public health system while ensuring the safety of public health workers, intensifying collaboration for adequate provision of medicines, essential medical supplies and equipment in the prevention, control and treatment of COVID-19, strengthening public health cooperation measures to contain the pandemic in the region, deepening collective actions to mitigate the economic and social impact of the global pandemic, extending mutual support to facilitate smooth flow of the essential commodities and goods particularly urgent medical equipment in time of difficulty, and developing post-pandemic recovery plan.

In her statement, the State Counsellor apprised the Summits of the measures taken by the Government for the prevention, containment and treatment of COVID-19, its response to address the health and socio-economic impacts of the global pandemic through “Whole-of-Government” approach as well as the Government’s rigorous efforts in mobilizing the strength of the people and seeking the public participation. The State Counsellor shared her experience by emphasizing the importance of four “P” namely Political leadership, Preventive measures, Peoples’ participation and the support of Partners to contain the virus and to lessen socio-economic implication, and expressed her appreciation to the ASEAN partners, Plus Three partners and other partners for their supports extended to Myanmar in the prevention, containment and treatment of COVID-19.

In the fight against the global pandemic, the State Counsellor also stressed the need to strengthen collaboration and collective action among Member States in fully operationalizing available resources and existing mechanism, strengthening preparedness and response capacities of individual health systems of Members States, fostering collective efforts to minimize the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, facilitating smooth flow of vital medical supplies, essential commodities and services to support the health and well-being of our peoples, providing adequate supports and updated information in time of difficulty by the host countries for the health, well-being, safe and secured movements of migrant workers in the region, deepening cooperation in digital economy and digital finance during the outbreak of COVID-19, and strengthening ASEAN Community building efforts amidst the challenges posed by COVID-19.

The Declaration of the Special ASEAN Summit on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and Joint Statement of the Special ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Summit on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) were adopted during each Special Summit.

In the Declaration, the ASEAN Leaders resolved to strengthen public health cooperation measures to contain the pandemic and protect the people including through exchange of information and response measures, sharing of experience and best practices; to intensify cooperation for adequate provision of medicines, essential medical supplies and equipment; to bolster national and regional epidemic preparedness and response; to provide appropriate assistance and support to the nationals of ASEAN Member States affected by the pandemic in each other’s country or in third countries; to take collective action in mitigating the economic and social impact from the pandemic; to remain committed to keeping ASEAN’s markets open for trade and investment and strengthening the resiliency and sustainability of regional supply chains, especially for food, commodities, medicines, medical and essential supplies.
In the Joint Statement of the ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Summit, the Leaders resolved to strengthen exchange of real-time information and measures taken by each country, sharing of experiences and best practices and provision of mutual technical support in the prevention, containment and control of COVID-19; to enhance national and regional capacities to prepare for and respond to pandemics; to strengthen scientific cooperation in epidemiological research; to encourage mutual support and assistance between ASEAN and the Plus Three countries in the development of human resources and capacity for the public health sector, and to enhance cooperation to provide appropriate support and assistance to nationals of the APT countries.

Present at the Special Summits were Union Minister for Investment and Foreign Economic Relations U Thaung Tun, Union Minister for International Cooperation U Kyaw Tin and Union Minister for Health and Sports Dr Myint Htwe. — MNA