GEARING up for economic recovery to sustainably address the impacts of the ongoing global health crisis, the Asean conducted a high-level dialogue on post-pandemic recovery to discuss best practices and recovery forecasts of various international organizations on their respective programs assisting countries in their respective amelioration plans.
Organized by the Asean Secretariat in Jakarta, representatives from the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific as well as the World Economic Forum discussed via video conference on July 30 their organizations’ recovery methods and recommended relevant approaches for the Southeast Asian region.
The Philippines’s Senior Officials’ Meeting Leader and Ambassador Elizabeth P. Buensuceso, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Junever M. Mahilum-West, Asean Socio-Cultural Community Council Leader and Social Welfare Assistant Secretary Noel M. 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 and Development Authority attended the virtual dialogue.
With Asean in the process of formulating its own regional comprehensive recovery strategy, the dialogue provides regional policy-makers and other stakeholders with pointers in ideating a framework suitable to the bloc’s vision for Southeast Asia. The Philippines stands to benefit from a well-planned and properly executed regional revival, as it also prepares for its own.
Among the suggestions and ideas brought forward include implementing green recovery (renewable-energy projects, smart grids and low-carbon footprint, among others), investing on health and social welfare systems as well as basic infrastructure to make them more resilient to crises, creating inclusive measures to mitigate impacts on human capital—particularly the vulnerable sector, building more resilient and innovative educational systems, and focusing on the “blue economy,” enhanced public-private partnerships, and the importance of transitioning to the digital economy, among others.
The participants 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, entrepreneurship, agriculture and consumer confidence—sectors most adversely affected by the present economic downturn.
To better prepare for future pandemics, the dialogue urged for prioritization on research and development; mainstreaming of standard health and safety protocols; zoonosis cooperation, production and distribution; as well as sharing of medical equipment and supplies, including 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 a broad spectrum of representation, which included students and other stakeholders from different parts of the world. DFA
Image credits: DFA