Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung said Vietnam began preparations for its Chairmanship very early and quickly adapted to new developments.

He added, “As Chair of ASEAN, we need to set out the program to meet the needs of the countries concerned. Therefore, whether we like it or not, we must shift ASEAN’s focus to Covid-19 response. Vietnam’s timely change has been responded and we have done well up till now.”

When the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Covid-19 an epidemic, Vietnam proposed exchanging with ASEAN countries to issue an ASEAN Chairperson’s statement on prevention and response to Covid-19 collectively. Vietnam also recommended a coordination mechanism and establishing a team to cope with emergency medical situations. Thereby, ASEAN has mobilized the unity and cooperation to effectively cope with the Covid-19 epidemic. So far, ASEAN has become a role model in response to and prevention of epidemics, which is highly appreciated by the international community.

During the last 6 months of the year, Vietnam continues to implement and promote the set targets, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung.

“The workload is huge in the remaining 6 months. We must carry out dual tasks, on the one hand, to fight against epidemics and recover the economy, on the other hand, to build the ASEAN Community and promote relations between ASEAN and external partners,” Mr. Dung said.