Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesia, chair of the Group of 20 major economies for 2022, has started talks with members on standardising health protocols for travel.
Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin was quoted by local media at a press conference within a G20 health meeting in Yogyakarta as stressing the importance of harmonising rules and technology as global travel resumes.
Under Indonesia's proposal, the standardisation must still adhere to COVID-19 policies of respective countries, including vaccines, tests, or testing authorities they will recognise.
"The principle remains that we respect sovereignty of all nations," said Budi.
He said that Indonesia has discussed harmonising protocols also with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union (EU), for travel between both regions.
Speaking at a separate news conference in Yogyakarta, Garrett Mehl, head of WHO’s Digital Health Technology Unit, said harmonising health protocols for travel was crucial and current situation was difficult.
There is an enormous number of certificate types that are being issued and they aren’t necessarily compatible with each other, he said
He held that a standardised system of certification “would ensure that it will be functional in another country and be trusted and be verifiable.”
Indonesia’s proposal was given when many countries are loosening restriction measures to recover their tourism and business. Last week, Indonesia decided to apply quarantine exemptions for foreign arrivals after two years of strict border management to prevent COVID-19./.
Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin was quoted by local media at a press conference within a G20 health meeting in Yogyakarta as stressing the importance of harmonising rules and technology as global travel resumes.
Under Indonesia's proposal, the standardisation must still adhere to COVID-19 policies of respective countries, including vaccines, tests, or testing authorities they will recognise.
"The principle remains that we respect sovereignty of all nations," said Budi.
He said that Indonesia has discussed harmonising protocols also with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union (EU), for travel between both regions.
Speaking at a separate news conference in Yogyakarta, Garrett Mehl, head of WHO’s Digital Health Technology Unit, said harmonising health protocols for travel was crucial and current situation was difficult.
There is an enormous number of certificate types that are being issued and they aren’t necessarily compatible with each other, he said
He held that a standardised system of certification “would ensure that it will be functional in another country and be trusted and be verifiable.”
Indonesia’s proposal was given when many countries are loosening restriction measures to recover their tourism and business. Last week, Indonesia decided to apply quarantine exemptions for foreign arrivals after two years of strict border management to prevent COVID-19./.
VNA
