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53rd ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting kicks off online

The 53rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers' meeting and related meetings kicked

Sentinel Digital Desk

The 53rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers' meeting and related meetings kicked off on Wednesday via video conference under the chair of Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh. Delivering a speech at the opening ceremony, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen XuanPhuc highlighted the development of the ASEAN, noting that initiatives including the Covid-19 Response Fund, the Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies and an ASEAN comprehensive recovery plan have not only assisted in the joint response to Covid-19 but also strengthened the bonds among ASEAN members. Phuc suggested that the ASEAN members continue upholding the bloc's solidarity and unity, and called for efforts to control the pandemic and promote sustained recovery, with the Covid-19 Response Fund being well utilized and the Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies operationalized, Xinhua news agency reported.(IANS)