PH Participates in the 22nd ASEAN-India Senior Officials’ Meeting (AISOM)
Temporary SOM Leader of the Philippines and ASEAN Director-General Assistant Secretary Junever Mahilum-West (top) delivering her interventions at the 22nd ASEAN-India Senior Officials’ Meeting (AISOM) held via videoconference. ASEAN-India SOM co-chair Secretary (East) of the External Affairs Ministry and SOM Leader of India Vijay Thakur Singh (left, bottom) and Assistant Secretary Mahilum-West (right, bottom), together with other ASEAN Senior Officials reaffirm their commitment to further strengthen ASEAN-India’s strategic partnership.
PASAY CITY 20 July 2020 – The Philippines, through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), participated in the 22nd ASEAN-India Senior Officials’ Meeting (AISOM) held on 16 July 2020 via videoconference.
Originally scheduled as an in-person meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, the 22nd AISOM is one of the ASEAN high-level meetings that has shifted to the digital platform due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Meeting was co-chaired by Permanent Secretary of the Foreign Affairs Ministry and SOM Leader of Thailand Busaya Mathelin and Secretary (East) of the External Affairs Ministry and SOM Leader of India Vijay Thakur Singh.
With India dubbed as “the pharmacy of the world”, ASEAN-India cooperation can play a significant role to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The Meeting discussed the need for a closer and coordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic and enhanced cooperation in areas of public health such as ramping up gene sequencing and research development for medicines, vaccine production and distribution, among others.
The Philippines spoke on countering terrorism in the context of COVID-19 and highlighted that societies which increasingly use digital communication tools, networks, and platforms are now more susceptible to cyberthreats and attacks of cyberterrorism; and may also inadvertently provide a bigger platform for terrorists. The Philippines also noted the increased connectivity between terrorist and criminal actors and vulnerable groups. The Philippines also mentioned the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on migrants, women, children, among others, and highlighted the need to identify and put in place targeted measures to address the vulnerable.
Aside from regional developments in ASEAN and India, the meeting also discussed ways to strengthen ASEAN-India cooperation in other areas including economic cooperation, maritime cooperation, enhanced regional connectivity, science and technology, sustainable development, disaster risk reduction and management, as well as consular assistance to stranded nationals in ASEAN and India.
The Philippines was represented by the DFA ASEAN Director-General Assistant Secretary Junever Mahilum-West. END