EU Ready to Help ASEAN to Deal with Covid-19

Brussels, MINA – The European Union (EU) has expressed its ability to help deal with the Coronavirus or Covid-19 pandemic that has hit several ASEAN countries.

It was conveyed during the ASEAN-EU Senior Officials meeting in Brussels, Belgium on 10-11 February 2020, as quoted from the official website of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thursday.

The EU’s commitment will be realized in the form of sending medical personnel, medical equipment assistance to the exchange of information and experience between virologists to find medical solutions needed.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the status of the coronavirus as a Global Health Emergency.

So far, 25 countries have confirmed the findings of the coronavirus case, some countries in Southeast Asia such as Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

Meanwhile, the number of people who died due to Covid-19 infection worldwide as of Thursday jumped to 1,357 people, one of which died in the Philippines.

The European Union has been an ASEAN partner since 1977 and the two parties have developed various collaborations in the political, security, economic, and socio-cultural fields.

The EU is also actively supporting ASEAN integration and efforts to build an ASEAN community. For 2018-2022, the partnership between ASEAN and the European Union has had an Action Plan for the 2018-2022 period, more than 50 percent of which have been implemented on ASEAN and the European Union. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)