ASEAN kicks off series of virtual summits with focus on recovery

The COVID-19 Delta variant has hit ASEAN economies hard, slashing growth rates and stalling the recovery, thus getting ASEAN economies back on track has become the top priority at these summits.

The regional countries recorded 13,656 new infections cases on Monday, including 460 cases in Indonesia, 8,675 cases in Thailand, 4,405 cases in the Philippines, and 116 cases in Cambodia, reported the Vietnamese Ministry of Health.

It would not be enough to depend on the effort of any single government or country to contain the pandemic and revive the economy, stressed Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh at the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit 2021 held virtually on October 25.

He suggested ASEAN would certainly need concerted efforts from all member countries, as well as the bloc's partners to achieve this goal.

Pham expressed his belief that, during times of hardship caused by COVID-19, it is crucial that ASEAN governments, business communities and stakeholders focus on the implementation of the Comprehensive Recovery Framework, adopted by ASEAN leaders at the 37th ASEAN Summit under Viet Nam's Chairmanship.

(Source: VGP)