G20: US$5 trillion pledge to handle coronacrisis, Vietnam shares experience in pandemic battle
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Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh attends the online G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting on Thursday. Photo: VNA

Vietnam was invited to the meeting as the country is current ASEAN Chair. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh affirmed that global and regional solidarity, cooperation and coordination are essential to help the world overcome the COVID-19 crisis while addressing the online G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on Thursday.

Minh attended the meeting amid the COVID-19 pandemic as 2020 ASEAN Chairman at the invitation of Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia which assumes the 2020 G20 Presidency Faisal bin Farhan AI Suad.

This is a special Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the G20 which was held as the COVID-19 pandemic continues developing across the globe, causing many big economies to fall into serious economic crisis. Solutions such as closing border gates and travelling limitations have contributed to controlling the spread of the disease but also had negative impacts on socio-economic development, leading to disruption in trade-investment chains and international exchanges.

Addressing the event, Minh appreciated the initiative of Saudi Arabia, the G20 President, in organizing the meeting on this critical matter.

He said solidarity, cooperation and coordination at the global and regional level are “more crucial now than ever” to overcome the global public heatlh crisis of such scale and complexity.

Through its economic and technological capacity, the G20 has made important contributions to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and cushioning of its socio-economic impact.

Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh addresses G20 Foreign Ministers’ extraordinary meeting on strengthening international cooperation across borders, on August 3, 2020. Photo: VGP

“As the 2020 ASEAN Chair, Viet Nam has worked closely with partners in the spirit of a cohesive and responsive ASEAN. We have put forth initiatives to promote a joint response to combat the pandemic, provide assistance to the people and foster economic recovery" Minh said.

He urged G20 countries to continue taking the lead with innovative actions, joined by the international community and institutions to expidite the research and development of effective and safe vaccines and antiviral drugs for COVID-19, while ensuring that every citizen shall have equitable access to affordable vaccines, according to the vgp.

He called for promoting cooperation in border management, including sharing of information and experience, ensuring health safety measures at the border checkpoints, applying technologies to discover and trace cases, and illegal migration.

ASEAN is currently discussing the possibility of establishing an ASEAN Travel Corridor to facilitate movement for officials and essential business travellers in compliance with health protocol, according to Minh.

In this regard, the G20 could work together with international organizations and other countries to advance discussion on a Code of Conduct or Roadmap for cooperation in border management and international travel facilitation.

Minh also expressed his hope that all countries would maintain their commitment to an open market, cross-border trade and investment facilitation, and the maintenance of global and regional supply chains, especially for essential goods, food and medical equipment.

ASEAN is currently discussing the possibility of establishing an ASEAN Travel Corridor to facilitate movement for officials and essential business travellers in compliance with health protocol. Photo: VGP

He affirmed that Vietnam, as ASEAN Chair in 2020, has closely coordinated with partners to maintain cooperation activities as well as proposed many initiatives to promote common acts in COVID-19 prevention and control, supporting people and boosting economic recovery.

Minh shared measures to enhance cooperation in border management to cope with COVID-19 such as increasing border management in the spirit of “double goals” – ensuring effective disease prevention while creating conditions for trade and investment exchanges across the borders, reported VNA.

He called for promoting cooperation in border management, including sharing of information and experience, ensuring health safety measures at the border checkpoints, applying technologies to discover and trace cases, and illegal migration.

He said the G20 could work together with international organisations and other countries to advance discussion on a Code of Conduct or Roadmap for cooperation in border management and international travel facilitation.

He urged G20 countries to continue taking the lead with innovative actions, joined by the international community and institutions to promote the research and development of effective and safe vaccines against COVID-19 while ensuring equitable access to affordable vaccines.

Minh stressed that it is important to enhance cooperation in capacity-building to prepare for and respond to future non-traditional security challenges.

At the meeting, participants affirmed their commitment to increased cooperation in responding to COVID-19 and mitigating its impacts on socio-economic development and promoting economic recovery.

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