The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Friday opened its 36th summit chaired by Vietnam via video conference, focusing on the COVID-19 epidemic response, post-pandemic recovery and further cooperation with partners.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the summit held in Hanoi on Friday morning, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said he expected the 36th ASEAN Summit to be an opportunity to "once again affirm the strong solidarity, political will, and determination of ASEAN member countries to overcome difficulties, to determinedly head forward."

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The ASEAN needs to continue to effectively control the COVID-19 pandemic and overcome its consequences while recovering and keeping on economic development, Phuc said, calling for continued efforts to complete the bloc's cooperation and integration goals in 2020.

With the theme "Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN," the summit will discuss the regional comprehensive post-pandemic recovery plans, implement initiatives including establishing the ASEAN COVID-19 response fund, setting up a reserve for medical supplies to meet urgent needs during the pandemic, building the ASEAN standard procedures of epidemic response in case of health emergency, according to the prime minister.

He said the ASEAN will constantly expand and enhance equal and mutually beneficial cooperation with the partners. "We are strongly committed to economic liberalization and integration, striving to complete the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership."

The Declaration 

Leaders from 10 member countries adopted the ASEAN Declaration on Human Resources Development for the Changing World of Work at its 36th summit. 

They committed to equipping the ASEAN's human resources with the competencies to get them to be future-ready, thereby enabling them to actively contribute to the sustainable development, competitiveness and resilience of the ASEAN, protecting them from potential adverse impacts of disruptive technologies, enabling them to manage just transition, and ensuring that no one is left behind in this changing world of work, according to the declaration. 

The declaration mentioned that the leaders resolved to enhance the cooperation between the bloc and its external partners, including international organizations, to facilitate the sharing of models, good practices, and experiences in advancing human resource development in a changing world of work. 

The leaders are aware of the changing world of work due to technological advances, the demographic transition, and greening economies that offer both opportunities and challenges to the economies, industries, and employment in the region, read the document. 

Established in 1967, the ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. 

The 36th ASEAN Summit was scheduled for April in central Vietnam's Da Nang but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.