At the meeting, representatives from ASEAN member states’ militaries shared their country’s COVID-19 response measures.
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Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Nghia at the event |
In his speech, General Nghia spoke highly of the activeness and pro-activeness of the Royal Brunei Land Forces as Chair of ACAMM 2020, in the context that countries in the region and the world are facing various non-traditional security challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nghia highly valued the all-out efforts of the militaries of ASEAN member countries over the past months, emphasizing that these efforts have actively contributed to the COVID-19 efforts of their own country.
Nghia also highlighted ASEAN troops’ practical deeds, such as launching mobile kitchens to provide food rations for people affected by the COVID-19, and making face masks to meet the increasing demand of locals.
Regarding the Vietnam People’s Army’s active engagement in the COVID-19 prevention efforts since its outbreak, General Nghia emphasized that Vietnamese military units have used their barracks as facilities to quarantine Vietnamese nationals returning from abroad, disinfected epidemic hot spots, researched and produced SARS-CoV-2 test kits, and strictly monitored border gates and border areas. They have also carried out other COVID-19 preventive measures to prevent the spread of the disease in the military and community as well.
To date, Vietnam has successfully controlled COVID-19, Nghia proudly said.
He added that the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense has enhanced defense cooperation among ASEAN member states to maintain dynamism in line with the theme “Cohesive and Responsive” of ASEAN Year 2020.
The Vietnamese Defense Ministry has also realized the Joint Statement of the ASEAN Defense Ministers on defense cooperation in response to the disease which was approved at the ADMM Retreat in February. As Head of the Board of Directors of the ASEAN Center of Military Medicine, the Vietnamese military medical force has successfully organized an online COVID-19 response drill which drew the attention of not only the bloc’s member states, but also its partner countries.
According to General Nghia, through bilateral channels, the Vietnamese military has actively shared COVID-19 experience with Laos, Cambodia, China, Russia, Myanmar, Cuba, and others.
“I believe that with our goodwill and high determination to enhance cooperation, the pandemic will be soon controlled in all member states of the bloc and in the world,” said General Nghia.
At the online meeting, all delegates agreed to organize the next ACAMM in November 2020. The Myanmar Army will take over the ACAMM Chair in 2021.
Translated by Mai Huong