SFA Locsin hails ASEAN’s pandemic recovery plan, participates in series of preparatory meetings for 37th ASEAN Summit

Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. delivers his intervention during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in preparation for the 37th ASEAN Summit. 

PASAY CITY 14 November 2020 – Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. participated in a series of preparatory meetings on 10 November leading up to the 37th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits on 12 to 15 November 2020 and rallied ASEAN Member States on a number of key priorities.

At the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM), Secretary Locsin called for the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Plan (ACRP) to be a proactive “smart plan” and for it to be crafted as soon as possible rather than being a “post pandemic recovery plan”.

At the 28th ASEAN Coordinating Council Meeting, Secretary Locsin highlighted the importance of strengthened engagement with ASEAN’s external partners on the road to recovery, particularly in addressing transborder issues of common concern such as counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, the digital economy, regional supply chains, and climate change. 

Finally, at the 22nd ASEAN Political-Security Community Council Meeting, while highlighting priorities in political-security cooperation, Secretary Locsin welcomed the inaugural meeting of ASEAN’s Cybersecurity Coordinating Committee which was held on 5 November 2020, citing the increasing digitalization of activities because of the pandemic. 

The Secretary, likewise, reiterated the Philippines’ commitment to the negotiations to come up with an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea that is in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 UNCLOS. END