Fact Sheet: Phnom Penh Vision on the Role of Defence Establishments in Support of COVID-19 Recovery

1.  The ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting was convened on 22 June 2022 for the Sixteenth ASEAN Defence Minister's Meeting (hereinafter referred to as "ADMM");

2.  REAFFIRMING the Joint Statement by the ASEAN Defence Ministers on Defence Cooperation Against Disease Outbreaks, adopted on 19 February 2020 during the ADMM Retreat in Viet Nam, which acknowledges the role of defence establishments in contributing towards combatting COVID-19 and resolving to strengthen defence cooperation against the pandemic;

3.  DEEPLY concerned with the human cost and suffering, severe disruption to societies and economies and devastating impact on lives and livelihoods brought about by COVID-19 which has severely affected the region;

4.  RECOGNISING the expansive and long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the region and ASEAN's efforts and responses to mitigate this through the implementation of the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework (ACRF) which serves as the region's consolidated exit strategy from the pandemic, as well as the strategic, holistic, coordinated and cross-pillar response in mitigating impacts of regional emergencies and disaster through the Strategic and Holistic Initiative to Link ASEAN Responses to Emergencies and Disasters (ASEAN SHIELD);

5.  COMMENDING the efforts of the ASEAN Center of Military Medicine (ACMM) to strengthen cooperation and understanding between ASEAN Member States' (AMS) military medicine experts through the Virtual ADMM Table-Top Exercise on COVID-19 and by organising workshops on COVID-19 on topics including quarantine camp management, COVID-19 management in a disaster area, medical logistics management in a pandemic, guidelines for military camps in the new normal and containment of emerging infectious diseases in military joint training;

6.  COMMENDING the efforts by the Network of ASEAN Chemical, Biological and Radiological (CBR) Defence Experts to foster greater cooperation between AMS' CBR experts including through the Virtual Workshop on "Promoting Scientific Cooperation to Manage Infectious Disease Outbreaks";

7.  AFFIRMING the efforts by the 3^rd ASEAN Military Medicine Conference themed "Pandemic Preparedness: Enhancing Readiness to Respond to and Manage Infectious Disease Outbreaks" to provide a platform for our military medical services to exchange professional views and expertise they have adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic through keynote speeches, workshops and panel discussions;

8.  ACKNOWLEDGING the Concept Paper on Enhancing Cooperation Amongst Defence Forces of ASEAN Member States (AMS) in Cross-Border Pandemic Containment;

9.  UNDERLINING the importance of collaborative efforts to develop and implement cohesive, responsive and effective measures to cope with the spread of the pandemic across shared borders, in addition to the necessity of promoting mutual assistance in COVID-19 recovery on a flexible, voluntary and non-binding basis;

HEREBY RESOLVE TO:

10. STRENGTHEN defence cooperation between ASEAN defence establishments to enhance our militaries' capabilities to respond swiftly and effectively to the COVID- 19 pandemic and to support the region's efforts to recover from the pandemic in a sustainable and inclusive manner;

11. ENHANCE the exchanges of information and coordination on a regular basis and provide mutual assistance among the defence establishments of AMS on cross- border pandemic control and prevention and the protection of people's lives and livelihoods, where and when possible and feasible;

12. COOPERATE actively via the ADMM-Plus Experts' Working Group on Military Medicine as the main platform for our military medical experts from the ADMM-Plus countries to exchange lessons learned and best practices on combating the pandemic;

13. LEVERAGE the ACMM as a platform for our military medicine experts to continue to coordinate, collaborate and exchange views and shared lessons learned. This will enable our militaries to adapt to the evolving nature of the pandemic; support national efforts to fight the pandemic; support recovery efforts, and enhance their readiness and protect their personnel amidst the ongoing pandemic;

14. LEVERAGE the Network of ASEAN CBR Defence Experts as the main platform for our CBR experts to exchange views, insights and lessons learned on scientific cooperation to combat the pandemic, including by tapping into the network's regular activities such as workshops and seminars throughout the year;

15. SUPPORT the conduct of the ADMM-Plus CBR Conference in 2022 to leverage the expertise of the Plus Countries and to promote dialogue, knowledge sharing, and cooperation within the ADMM-Plus, in addition to enhancing countries' collective ability to deal with the common challenge of CBR threats;

16. REMAIN resolutely committed to doing our part, and staying united to overcome the COVID-19 outbreak for the benefit of the peoples of ASEAN.

More Resources

ADMM Convenes In Person, Reaffirms Commitment to Strengthen Regional Cooperation

Fact Sheet: Joint Declaration of the ASEAN Defence Ministers on Defence Cooperation to Strengthen Solidarity for a Harmonised Security