The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) held a Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) on 27 October 2020 via web-based conferencing. It was attended by GMS Senior officials and ADB officials.
In the first episode of ADB Insight, we speak to the people on the frontline of the global effort to deliver a vaccine in record time and explore the complex issues around distributing the life-saving drug to billions of people in Asia & the Pacific.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has allocated $20.3 million in technical assistance to help its developing members access vaccines for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and establish systems to enable equitable and efficient vaccine distribution.
Pave the way to a more integrated, inclusive, sustainable and prosperous GMS
With the right policies, enough jobs can be created to employ returning workers and creating the opportunity for a new era in agricultural entrepreneurship in the region.
The 6th ASEAN Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ Meeting held virtually on 2 October acknowledged ADB’s efforts in operationalizing the ASEAN Catalytic Green Finance Facility (ACGF) as a platform for ASEAN green infrastructure under the ASEAN Infrastructure Fund (AIF).
The Governments of Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam, and the United States of America (US), launched the Mekong-US Partnership and held its first Ministerial Meeting on 11 September 2020. The partnership builds on the US-Mekong cooperation developed through the Lower Mekong Initiative.
The 10th Mekong-Republic of Korea (RoK) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting was held on 28 September online, with the participation of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and the RoK. The meeting highlighted achievements in cooperation on infrastructure, information technology, education, agriculture, environmental protection, and water resources management, and adopted the action plan for 2021-2025.
The ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information adopted the Joint Statement to Minimize the Negative Effects of COVID-19 to combat fake news and misinformation related to the pandemic, and enhance effective public communication through media and information cooperation. The Statement noted that fake news and misinformation could undermine effective regional preparedness, resiliency, and responsiveness toward addressing the outbreak if left unchecked.
Strong commitments toward achieving universal health coverage (UHC) made by some developing member countries of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), including Greater Mekong Subregion members Thailand and Viet Nam, prepared these countries to better manage the health and economic impacts of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.