Hanoi (VNA) – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) entered 2020 with a lot of difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic but theinitial success in curbing the spread of the disease in the region has provedeffective intra-regional cooperation, said Vietnamese Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen Nguyen ChiVinh.

Vinh made the statement at theASEAN Defence Senior Officials’ Meeting Working Group (ADSOM WG)’s videoconference in Hanoi on May 12, which aims to promote Vietnam’s initiatives inASEAN Chairmanship Year 2020 and prepare for the ADSOM’s video conference slatedfor May 15.

ASEAN countries have madeaccurate forecasts, prepared themselves and cooperated to deal with thenon-traditional challenge which caused the disaster in the region and the world, he said.

In early 2020, Vietnamsuccessfully organised the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Retreat (ADMM Retreat), which issued a joint statement of the ASEAN Defense Ministers on defense cooperation in response to the disease, he added.

Vinh went on to say that during the ADSOMWG’s video conference, the panel discussed how to further promote ASEAN defencecooperation in the context that many countries are still affected by COVID-19and applying quarantine measures.

When the pandemic is pushed back,the host Vietnam vows to do all it can to complete the ASEAN agendas in 2020 withthe best results and highest safety, the Deputy Minister affirmed.

He hoped the pandemic willnot hinder or suspend the bloc’s activities. Instead, ASEAN could even do morewhen utilising effectively information technology such as organising onlineactivities.

Vinh suggested re-evaluatingthe effectiveness of bilateral and multilateral defence cooperation among ASEANcountries on the prevention and control of COVID-19, as well as the ASEANagendas 2020 while preparing a new plan for optimal results.

The Deputy Minister stronglyrecommended discussing the preparation for the ASEAN military medical drills tocope with non-traditional security challenges, including disease prevention andcontrol.

Apart from cooperationwithin the framework of ASEAN, he proposed expanding the exchange among workinggroup leaders on collaboration under the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus (ADMM ).

He also called on the blocto step up efforts to push back and stamp out the COVID-19 pandemic./.