Secretary Locsin Attends ASEAN-UK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on COVID-19
SFA Locsin joins UK Foreign Secretary Raab, Viet Nam Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh, and ASEAN Secretary-General Dato Lim Jock Hoi and other ASEAN Foreign Ministers for the Open-Ended Troika Meeting between ASEAN Foreign Ministers and UK Foreign Secretary on COVID-19.
PASAY CITY 05 October 2020 – Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. joined Foreign Ministers and high representatives of ASEAN Member States, the ASEAN Secretary-General and UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab in the ASEAN-UK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on COVID-19 cooperation held on 30 September 2020, via video conference.
The Meeting exchanged views on ways to enhance cooperation in tackling socio-economic challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. Both sides agreed on the importance of rebuilding sustainable, green and resilient economies, as well as fruitful and substantive means of cooperation between the ASEAN and UK in tackling public health emergencies.
During the Meeting, Secretary Locsin underscored the importance of making vaccines a universal public good. He noted that the Philippines will look to multilateral global alliances such as the COVAX facility which the UK is part of for COVID-19 vaccine cooperation.
“The UK’s interest to help ASEAN Member States combat COVID-19 shows that the UK remains a dependable partner for the region,” Secretary Locsin said.
“Six months from the spread of the pandemic, we have a better understanding of the contagion. But our priorities are the same: strengthening healthcare systems, joint research and development of vaccines, increasing production and supply of medicines and medical equipment, keeping our markets open and safeguarding supply chain connectivity,” he added.
Secretary Locsin also called on the UK to continue protecting Filipino health care professionals and uphold their well-being, and remember their contributions as they continue to answer the call of nations all over the world to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I take pride that Filipino healthcare workers are among the best to venture forth to the frontlines anywhere in the world; famous as much for technical competence as genuine loving care. We hope the UK continues to protect our health care professionals, promote their well-being, and in the future honor them as befits their sacrifices,” he emphasized.
Foreign Secretary Raab emphasized the UK’s commitment to the region and how their cooperation with ASEAN has gone from strength to strength. He singled out Secretary Locsin’s eloquent articulation of history as constituent elements for ASEAN’s cooperation with the UK.
The Meeting also welcomed the UK’s commitment to refocus its funding to COVID-19 initiatives that aid ASEAN in recovery, including the one million GBP commitment to the ASEAN COVID-19 Response Fund and funding support extended to the ASEAN Secretariat and the AHA Center. END
SFA Locsin joins UK Foreign Secretary Raab, Viet Nam Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh, and ASEAN Secretary-General Dato Lim Jock Hoi and other ASEAN Foreign Ministers for the Open-Ended Troika Meeting between ASEAN Foreign Ministers and UK Foreign Secretary on COVID-19.