Vietnam plans to contribute US$5 million medical supplies to ASEAN Covid-19 Response Fund, Vietnamese Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang said during a press briefing held in Hanoi on October 21.
Hang said Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is expected to announce this contribution at the 38th, 39th ASEAN Summit, which will be virtually held on Oct 26-28.
"The covid-19 response will be high on the agenda of the summit,” Hang said.
She also informed that ASEAN countries will spend US$10.5 million from its Covid-19 Response Fund to buy vaccines for its members, with the first batch of vaccines to be delivered in the fourth quarter of this year or the first quarter of 2022.
"The bloc will continue to mobilize contribution for the fund," she added.
At the summit, leaders are expected to adopt the ASEAN framework agreement on travel corridor and other deals to support the intra-bloc travel amid the pandemic, as well as consider recognizing each other’s vaccine passports.
On the ASEAN’s unprecedented decision to disinvite Myanmar military leader Min Aung Hlaing from the bloc’s summits, Hang noted that during a virtual ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting on Oct 15, Brunei, the ASEAN Chair, decided to extend an invitation to a representative “of an appropriate level” from Myanmar to the ASEAN Summit.
“Vietnam looks forward to and supports the continued exchanges and cooperation among all related parties, create trust and build an ASEAN community for peace, security, and stability of the region”, Hang said.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affair, PM Pham Minh Chinh will attend the 38th-39th ASEAN Summit and related high-level meetings with China, Japan, South Korea, India, the US, Australia, and Russia.
The Vietnamese Prime Minister's participation is made at the invitation of 2021 ASEAN Chair, Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.
