The second ASEAN-Australia Biennial Summit takes place virtually on November 14 (Photo: VNA)Hanoi(VNA) – Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on November 14 outlined newinitiatives to support ASEAN’s economic recovery efforts post COVID-19.
They include 70million AUD for resilience and recovery in Southeast Asia and a 232 million AUDpackage for the Mekong region, focusing on the environment, infrastructure,cyber, and critical technologies and scholarships.
Addressing the secondASEAN-Australia Biennial Summit, held online on the day, PM Morrison commendedVietnam and ASEAN for their strong response to COVID-19 in the spirit of acohesive and responsive ASEAN.
The leader saidAustralia is ASEAN’s partner in the great recovery that is occurring, notingASEAN’s centrality is the core of Australia’s vision for Indo-Pacific.
Australia remainscommitted to working with the region and helping the region recover fromCOVID-19.
According to the PM, Australiarecently committed some 500 million AUD over three years to support access tosafe and effective COVID-19 vaccines for Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
“Safe effectiveaccess to affordable COVID-19 vaccines will be the central factor in ourcollective recovery, Morrison said,” he stressed.
In a media statementreleased on November 13, the PM said ASEAN remains at the heart of Australia’svision for a peaceful, stable, inclusive, sovereign, prosperous and resilientIndo-Pacific. ASEAN has a central role to play in the region’s recovery and thepost COVID-19 regional order.
Australia is proud tobe a Strategic Partner of ASEAN and its oldest Dialogue Partner, he said.
The Australian leadercongratulated Vietnam for its stewardship as ASEAN Chair during a verychallenging year.
At the summit, VietnamesePrime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said Australia was one of the mostlong-standing partners of ASEAN with relationship established in 1974. Over thepast four decades, the bilateral relationship has been increasinglystrengthened in different spheres.
ASEAN welcomesAustralia’s consistent policy on accompanying the region for a long-term andsupporting the bloc’s centrality, he noted.
The two sides agreedto hold the summit annually instead of biennially as a foundation to furtherdeepen and substantially promote the important relationship./.
VNA
