The Federal Republic of Germany has announced an amount of EUR5 million (US$6.07 million) to the ASEAN Covid-19 Response Fund that has been aims to mobilize financial resources to cancel out the shortage of medical equipment, labs research and emergency cases.

Minister of State at the German Federal Foreign Office. Photo: Embassy of Germany in Hanoi

The aid is part of the cooperation with ASEAN that is considered an essential component of the Germany’s Indo-Pacific Guidelines.

So far, the fund and the ASEAN Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies have received contributions from ASEAN nations and some countries, including Japan, the US, South Korea, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, India and China.

ASEAN Covid-19 response

The governments of ASEAN member states have stood as one in action in the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic from very early on.

Since mid-February, Vietnam issued the Chairman’s Statement on ASEAN Collective Response to the Outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019.

In mid-April, shortly after the pandemic's outbreak, the bloc organized the Special ASEAN and ASEAN Plus Three Summits on Covid-19 during which leaders of ASEAN member states and its partners (China, South Korea and Japan) made strong commitment to act together in the spirit of cohesiveness and responsiveness.

At the 36th ASEAN Summit chaired by Vietnam, heads of ASEAN member states announced on June 26, 2020 the establishment of the ASEAN Covid-19 Response Fund.

At this 37th ASEAN Summit, member states will establish the ASEAN Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies and adopt the ASEAN Strategic Framework for Public Health Emergencies.

The member states, with Japan’s assistance, have agreed to establish the ASEAN Center for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases.

The moves show substantive cooperation in enhancing ASEAN’s joint capacity in response to medical emergencies and future epidemic threats.