ASEAN and the world

Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen emphasised the importance of the regional cooperation among the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) member nations.

Leaders of Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) countries have spoken highly of their cooperation over the last two years and how it has contributed to improving living standards among people in the region, according to Lao media.

Newly-appointed Acting Chairman of the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) Giring Ganesha has declared his intention of running in the 2024 presidential election.

Economic ministers from ASEAN member countries reviewed the implementation of economic initiatives in 2020 at a virtual meeting on August 25.

Japan and Laos have agreed to resume travelling between the two nations for long-term residents from September, which has been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Japan and Cambodia agreed on August 22 to reopen borders for expatriates, starting possibly from early September, on condition they observe a 14-day self-quarantine period and take other precautions against the novel coronavirus, Kyodo News reported.

(CPV) - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD300 million policy-based loan to support the Philippine government’s efforts to boost inclusive growth by implementing reforms to expand Filipinos’ access to financial services, especially in unserved and underserved areas across the country.

Thailand recorded the first COVID-19 case outside state quarantine areas on August 19, the 86th day without a domestic case in the country.

(CPV) - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD2 million grant from its Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund (APDRF) to support Armenia in its fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

(CPV) - Violence prevention and response services have been severely disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving children at increased risk of violence, exploitation and abuse, according to a global survey by UNICEF.

(CPV) - UNICEF East Asia and Pacific issues on August 18th 2020, “Recover, Rebound, Reimagine - Building a better future for every child in East Asia and the Pacific, post COVID-19.”

(CPV) - The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a massive disruption of economies and labour markets with disproportionate impacts on youth employment in Asia and the Pacific, says a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The Thai economy contracted the most in more than two decades due to impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cross-border travel between Malaysia and Singapore resumed on August 17 after being shut since March to stem the coronavirus outbreak.

Indonesian Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati recently adjusted the country’s GDP growth goal for 2020 down to -0.2 to -1.1 percent from the previous 2.3 percent, and 4.5 to 5.5 percent for the next year.

The Indonesian Government has announced that it will allocate 356.5 trillion Rp (24.04 billion USD) for COVID-19-related stimulus funding next year in an effort to continue supporting the country’s economic recovery and strengthen the health care system, including the provision of a coronavirus vaccine.

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has urged Thailand to increase food exports to prevent global shortage.

More and more Japanese firms are expanding business in Southeast Asia and scaling down operations in China due to its escalating tensions with the US, according to the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO).

(CPV) - Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masatsugu Asakawa and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Peter Maurer discussed areas of potential collaboration given the increasing overlap of development issues with the humanitarian and peace issues.

The EU Ambassador to ASEAN Igor Driesmans on August 13 announced three new development cooperation projects with ASEAN worth a total amount of 13 million EUR (over 15 million USD).

(CPV) - As schools worldwide struggle with reopening, the latest data from the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) reveal that 43 per cent of schools around the world lacked access to basic handwashing with soap and water in 2019 – a key condition for schools to be able to operate safely in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

(CPV) - The Kyrgyz Republic can address the socioeconomic challenges related to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic by moving aggressively to strengthen the health system, expand social protection and employment, and improve transparency in the government’s pandemic response.

The ASEAN Secretariat and Infrastructure Asia of the Singapore government held a webinar on Digital Connectivity on August 13 as part of the ASEAN Infrastructure Discussion Series.

Cambodia’s annual 7-billion-USD garment and textile sector is expected to suffer losses from the European Union (EU)’s partial withdrawal of the tariff preferences granted to the Southeast Asian country under the Everything But Arms (EBA) trade agreement from August 12.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo said over the last three months, the country has been developing a coronavirus vaccine with brand Merah Putih, which is hoped to be completed by mid-2021.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues spreading in Southeast Asian nations with thousands of new infection cases reported each day.

(CPV) - Polio immunization campaigns have resumed in Afghanistan and Pakistan – the last two polio-endemic countries in the world – months after COVID-19 left 50 million children without their polio vaccine.

(CPV) - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD400 million policy-based loan to support reforms by the Philippine government aimed at raising the productivity and competitiveness of the country’s agriculture sector and significantly reducing poverty in rural areas.

The UN Security Council (UNSC) held an online meeting on August 11 to discuss the situation in Lebanon and recent developments in the Darfur region of Sudan.

As ASEAN Chair 2020, Vietnam lauded Canada’s support to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the fight against COVID-19 at the virtual 17th ASEAN-Canada Dialogue on August 11.