Asean holds post-pandemic recovery dialogue

THE Association of Southeast Asian Nations ( Asean) gears up for economic recovery to sustainably address the impacts of Covid- 19 with a High- Level Dialogue on Asean Post- Pandemic Recovery held on July 30 via video conference. Organized by the Asean Secretariat in Jakarta, the Dialogue discussed best practices and recovery forecasts of various international organizations on their respective programs to assist countries in their recovery plans.

Representatives from the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, and the World Economic Forum shared their organizations’ recovery plans and recommended relevant approaches for the Southeast Asian region.

Philippine Senior Officials’ Meeting ( SOM) Leader, Ambassador Elizabeth Buensuceso, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Junever Mahilum- West, AseanSocio-Cultural Community Council Leader and DSWD Assistant Secretary Noel Macalalad, as well as representatives from the Office of Asean Affairs of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Trade and Industry, and the National Economic Development Authority, attended the virtual dialogue.

With Asean in the process of formulating its own regional comprehensive recovery framework, the dialogue provides Asean policy makers and other stakeholders with pointers in coming up with a framework that will suit Asean’s vision for the region. The Philippines stands to benefit from a well- planned and properly executed regional recovery as it also prepares for its own.

Among the suggestions and ideas brought up in the dialogue include green recovery (i.e., renewable energy projects, smart grids, low-carbon footprint, etc.), investments in health and social welfare systems and basic infrastructure to make them more resilient to crises, inclusive measures to mitigate impacts on human capital in particular the vulnerable sector, build more resilient and innovative educational systems, focus on the blue economy, enhanced public-private partnership, importance of transitioning to the digital economy, among others.

All agreed that the recovery will be remarkably difficult to forecast but for the short- term, collective efforts need to focus on the revitalization of trade, tourism, transportation, MSMEs, agriculture and consumer confidence, the most adversely affected aspects of the economy.

In order to be better prepare for future pandemics, the dialogue urged for priority to be given to research and development, mainstreaming of standard health and safety protocols and zoonosis cooperation and production, distribution, and sharing of medical equipment and supplies, as well as vaccines.

All speakers agreed that the pandemic created an opportunity to fundamentally reshape Asean’s future, and to build back better.

The virtual dialogue had broad representation which included students and other stakeholders from different parts of the world.