YESTERDAY marked the 54th anniversary of Asean. It is a cause for celebration and reflection.
Since its inception, Asean has made extraordinary progress in preserving peace and security, promoting economic cooperation and integration, narrowing development gap within and across Asean Member States, and contributing to social development.
The unity of Asean has enabled it to collectively overcome challenges, ranging from global financial crisis to climate change, to natural disasters and now, the Covid-19 pandemic.
The impacts of Covid-19 on our lives and livelihoods are devastating, from the overstretched capacity of the healthcare sector to the loss of earnings. The effect on mental health can no longer be ignored.
Still fresh in our minds was when we managed to experience a semblance of normalcy when cases decreased last year, only to be placed on lockdown again when there was a spike in cases a few months later.
ASEAN'S INITIATIVES IN RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC
Since early 2020, Asean has taken proactive steps through a series of engagements and information exchanges among Member States and External Partners, with the purpose of enhancing regional capabilities in prevention, detection, response and readiness to address the outbreak.
Asean has implemented several strategies and frameworks to face the imminent rise of Covid-19, while mitigating its impact on our economy and ensuring the well-being of our people.
During the Special Asean Summit on Covid-19 in April 2020, Asean Leaders have unanimously agreed on the critical need for Asean to focus on tackling the economic and social ramifications of the pandemic, while working towards a post-pandemic recovery plan for Asean.
At the Summit, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin proposed for Asean to formulate a regional economic recovery plan to coordinate a regional response.
Subsequently, the Asean Comprehensive Recovery Framework (ACRF) was adopted during the 37th Asean Summit and Related Summit in November 2020.
ACRF serves as a guide for strategic directions and focus for pandemic recovery and support in Asean.
Through ACRF, several broad strategies were formulated which includes enhancing regional health systems, strengthening human security, maximising the potential of intra-Asean market and broader economic integration, accelerate inclusive digital transformation and advancing towards a more sustainable and resilient future.
All these strategies were implemented within the existing frameworks of Asean, with support from all its External Partners.
To accelerate the recovery following the pandemic, Asean has embarked on an effort to address the shortages of test kits, personal protective equipment, and vaccines through the Covid-19 Asean Response Fund. Serving as a pool of financial resources, the fund would assist all Asean Member States in the detection, control and prevention of Covid-19 transmissions as well as ensuring the safety of our medical workers and frontliners.
Despite the ongoing lockdowns in countries around the region, the aspect of mobility, tourism and people-to-people exchanges remains an important focus of Asean as part of its regional recovery efforts.
Asean Travel Corridor Arrangement Framework (ATCAF) was formulated with an aim to facilitate the movement of essential business travellers within Asean, while strictly observing health protocols. The objectives of the Framework are to revive and reinvigorate economic activities and better prepare the region for a post-pandemic socio-economic recovery.
MENTAL HEALTH: WHY DOES IT MATTER?
Brunei Darussalam, as Chair of ASEAN for 2021 introduced the theme "We Care, We Prepare, We Prosper" that reflects Asean Member States' commitment to safeguarding people's well-being, fostering community resilience and expediting post-pandemic recovery.
Another aspect that Asean is seriously looking into is mental health. The continuous lockdowns across the region, loss of income and multiple other factors, have affected the mental health of our people. The rise of domestic abuse and suicidal cases have been making headlines in the news, reflecting the great stress and depression our society is experiencing due to the pandemic.
Acknowledging the importance of mental health, Asean and its External Partners have embarked on several initiatives to share experience, exchange information on best practices, as well as formulating policies in order to tackle this issue.
In line with the theme of Brunei's Chairmanship, which emphasises on inclusivity and comprehensive approach, Asean is working hand-in-hand with the public, experts and civil society organisations in finding the best possible solutions to mitigate the issue of mental health.
The emergence of new Covid-19 variants and the prospect that the disease will become endemic, require governments all over the world to rethink their strategies. As no country or region has the same capabilities and approaches in dealing with the pandemic, a 'cookie-cutter' method may not work.
Therefore, efforts to be undertaken must be dynamic and flexible, befitting the local needs and criteria.
Realising that vaccination is the most viable tool to emerge victorious from the pandemic, Asean continues to call for fair and equitable vaccine distribution to all nations.
This call has been repeatedly made in all of Asean's engagements.
Asean will never relent and remain steadfast in fighting the pandemic shoulder-to-shoulder with the rest of the world, so that humanity will overcome this great challenge together and emerge stronger.
I wish everyone, Happy 54th Asean Day!
The writer is Senior Foreign Minister