U Wunna Maung Lwin, Union Minister for Foreign Affairs attended the Pledging Conference to support ASEAN’s Humanitarian Assistance to Myanmar which was held via video conference yesterday afternoon, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nay Pyi Taw.
The Pledging Conference was hosted
by H.E. Dato Lim Jock Hoi, Secretary-General of ASEAN, as the ASEAN
Humanitarian Assistance Coordinator (SG-AHAC), and was attended by H.E. Dato
Erywan Pehin Yusof, Minister of Foreign Affairs II of Brunei Darussalam, and
Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair to Myanmar, H.E. Prak Sokhonn, Deputy Prime
Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of
Cambodia, H.E. Retno Marsudi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, H.E.
Teodoro L. Locsin Jr., Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, H.E. Vivian
Balakrishnan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Singapore, H.E. Bui Thanh Son,
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam , H.E. Thongphane Savanphet, Deputy
Foreign Minister of Laos’ PDR and representatives from ASEAN Member States and
its partners.
The Secretary-General of ASEAN
explained about the provision of ASEAN’s Humanitarian assistance to Myanmar
which will be delivered through the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian
Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre), as per Point 4 of the Five-Point
Consensus. He also explained that humanitarian assistance would be carried out
in Myanmar through phases. In this regard, he explained that while Phase 1 of
ASEAN’s humanitarian Assistance in Myanmar would be focusing on provision of
immediate needs for COVID-19, Phase 2 would be focusing on provision of broader
humanitarian needs.
ASEAN Foreign Ministers and representatives
from ASEAN Member States, partners and friends also discussed and exchanged
views on the provision of humanitarian assistance to Myanmar, and expressed
their keen interest to pledge and contribution of both cash and in-kind to
Myanmar.
The Union Minister for Foreign Affairs
extended his heartfelt gratitude to H.E. Dato Lim Jock Hoi, Secretary-General
of ASEAN for holding this Pledging Conference. He also extended his
appreciations to all the participants for the pledges and contributions they
had made to assist Myanmar. Union Minister also apprised the meeting that with
a view to struggling against pandemic, Myanmar has established the Central
Committee on Prevention, Control and Treatment of COVID-19 for better
addressing the pandemic.
He then explained the meeting that
Myanmar had been given priority to carry out all the necessary measures for the
prevention, control and treatment of COVID-19 which were indeed needed for the
people of Myanmar. However, he explained that Myanmar is still in need of
vaccines, medicines, medical equipment, supplies and other related items to
contain the consistent spread of local transmission and high rate of infection.
The Union Minister further
explained that heavy rain in July has caused flooding across many low-lying
areas of Myanmar and that in some specific areas made Myanmar people more
vulnerable. In this regard, he explained that while it was important to provide
needs for COVID-19, provision of
necessary assistance to the flood affected victims such as essential needs,
emergency shelter and proper health care and adequate medical supplies were
also needed.
In conclusion, the Union Minister mentioned
that the outcome of the Pledging Conference would be helpful for Myanmar its
efforts to fight against the spread of COVID-19, including on the provision of
needs for the flood affected victims.
He also expressed Myanmar’s
readiness and preparedness for swift and effective implementation and delivery
of humanitarian assistance provided to Myanmar.
During the meeting, the States such
as Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand,
Australia, European Union (EU) and New Zealand made pledges to donate cash
amounted to USD 700,000, AUD 5 million and EURO 370,000. In addition,
Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, People’s Republic of China and United
Kingdom made pledges for inkind contribution. Both pledges of contribution are through
AHA Centre.
Together with the Union Minister,
senior officers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Health and
Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement also attended the Pledging
Conference.
MNA
#The_Global_New_Light_Of_Myanmar
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