SEOUL – President Moon Jae-in on Friday held a summit with leaders of Southeast Asia’s Mekong River nations via video links, in which he promised to contribute US$10 million (RM41.32 million) to help provide new coronavirus vaccines to developing nations.
“We will contribute US$10 million for coronavirus vaccine support to developing countries – through the Covid-19 Vaccines Advance Market Commitment (Covax),” said Moon during his second annual summit with leaders of the five Mekong River nations Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand.
Covax is a multilateral platform designed to fund coronavirus vaccine distribution to developing countries, Yonhap news agency reported.
Moon also pledged to strengthen cooperation with the countries in the areas of public health and provision of epidemic prevention equipment.
The president praised the level of trade between South Korea and the five nations, which was similar to that of last year despite the rupture in global travel and shipments, thanks to the close cooperation in disease control and prevention.
Moon also said he will push for a bilateral project aimed at preserving the Mekong River's ecological environment, managing its water resources and preventing natural disasters.
Seoul will also seek to involve international organisations, such as the United Nations, in the project, he added.
“As part of the effort, we will continue to increase the level of the South Korea-Mekong cooperation fund as well as our overseas development assistance,” said Moon.
The two sides also agreed to elevate their bilateral relationship to that of a “strategic partnership.”
Last November, South Korea and the Mekong River nations adopted the Mekong-Han River Declaration, which called for the enhancement of economic development cooperation in such areas as resources, farming and environment, by sharing Korea's experience of rapid post-war growth. – Bernama, November 13, 2020
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