Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyễn Quốc Dũng, head of the SOM ASEAN Vietnam chaired the online inter-sectoral discussion on building a comprehensive recovery framework for ASEAN. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — An online inter-sectoral discussion on building a comprehensive recovery framework for ASEAN was held on Tuesday and chaired by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyễn Quốc Dũng, head of the SOM ASEAN Vietnam.
Attending the event were ASEAN senior officials and three Deputy Secretary Generals in charge of the ASEAN Political-Security, Economic and Socio-Cultural Communities.
Speaking at the event, Dũng said the recovery plan should ensure the benefits of the public, businesses, localities and governments as all of them have been hit by COVID-19.
He called for the greatest efforts to help people overcome difficulties in the spirit of a people-oriented and people-centred ASEAN Community.
Dũng suggested countries enhance policy and measure co-ordination to support workers and ensure jobs, as well as offer social assistance to the unemployed and elderly, facilitate children’s access to education and protect immigrant workers.
The Deputy FM urged listening to businesses’ aspirations, particularly those of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in hard-hit sectors such as tourism, aviation, services and garments. He proposed providing national and regional relief packages to boost intra-bloc trade and investment and ensure the supply chain.
For localities, he suggested improving their capacity of supplying medical and key public services.
He also recommended ensuring the ASEAN Community’s common approach to recovery, increasing the sharing of experience and information about orientations to recovery, while maintaining pandemic control.
Participants pledged to work closely with the ASEAN Chair in 2020, ASEAN bodies and the Secretariat to complete the framework in an inclusive, scientific and effective manner.
The draft comprehensive recovery framework for ASEAN is scheduled to be submitted to regional leaders at the 37th ASEAN Summit in November 2020. — VNS

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