Hanoi (VNA) - Secretary-Generalof the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Dato Lim Jock Hoi haswritten an article about the region’s COVID-19 and economic situation. Thefollowing is the full text of the article.

As we enter the third quarter of theyear, much has been understood about COVID-19 since it first emerged. Aroundthe world, countries are getting better at managing the spread of the virus, butthe battle against rising or resurging cases continues, including in parts ofASEAN. When the pandemic will come to an end remains unknown. For a while, theworld will need to live alongside COVID-19.

Beyond the human costs, the pandemic hastaken a toll on the economy. The growth outlook for the region has been furtherrevised downward, from initially a 1% growth at the start of the pandemic, to a2.7% contraction, and now a 3.8% contraction. Notwithstanding, there are earlysigns of recovery where economies have started to reopen, and the latest datahas raised some hope that perhaps global trade is not being hit as badly asexpected. While recovery is expected by 2021, it is foreseen to be an “L” or aswoosh-shaped rather than a “V” shaped recovery. Unless concerted efforts aremade to address this, we will risk having millions falling back into poverty,seeing a reversal of development progress made over the years, and facingpermanent productivity and welfare loss.

Despite the shadow of uncertainty, planningfor what comes after must start now. Eventually, vaccine and treatment will befound. But once the health crisis is contained, addressing the socio-economicimpact of the pandemic, which will linger long after, becomes an urgent task. Thosethat are better prepared will have a good head start in the onward marchtowards recovery. Obviously there is no one-size-fits-all approach to recoveryefforts. What is clear is for recovery planning to be effective, we must adopttailored, practical solutions, with clear political guidance and buy-in tosteer our collective work out of this crisis.

For ASEAN, the first and important stepbegins with the development of a comprehensive recovery framework which alreadycommenced. The ongoing work is being led by the ASEAN Coordinating CouncilWorking Group on Public Health Emergencies, supported by the ASEAN Secretariat.The Working Group is a recently established body with cross-pillarrepresentation and reports to the ASEAN Coordinating Council, the secondhighest body after the ASEAN Summit. The framework, along with itsimplementation plan, are expected to be submitted to the Leaders at the 37th ASEAN Summit in November.

The question is then what kind ofrecovery is envisaged by ASEAN. In my view, ASEAN’s recovery work must providestrategic responses in the following five priority areas.

First of all, COVID-19 is a publichealth crisis. The Framework must aim to address key vulnerabilities anddisparities in the health systems exposed by the pandemic. A good part of theefforts and resources should therefore be focused on strengthening the capacityof the region’s health systems to collectively and effectively respond to thisand future pandemics.

Secondly, recovery efforts should put thepeople at its core, focusing on impactful actions that deliver real benefits tosafeguard well-being. Time has shown that in times of crises, it is the mostvulnerable who are bearing the hardest impact. Among businesses, the micro,small, and medium enterprises are most affected, the same for low-income andinformal workers. The ASEAN recovery framework will need to look at enhancingdifferent aspects of human security, focusing on the vulnerable groups. Definedas “people's safety from chronic threats and protection from sudden hurtfuldisruptions in the patterns of daily life,” human security considerations shouldcover different aspects of livelihood, from social security, food andnutrition, education, jobs, to health.

Thirdly, COVID-19 recovery will, inlarge part, be an effort to pull economies out of recession. Some businessesmay not make it back to business, just as some workers may not be able to maketheir way back to employment. The option of relying on external sector will belimited, as economies outside the region too are struggling. All these areexacerbated by the uncertainties brought about by geo-strategic rivalry as wellas the already muted global trade and investment.

There is never a more urgent time forASEAN to fully realise the potential of its internal market. Removing tariffbarriers or formal restrictions is not sufficient. We need to do more to keepthe macro-economy stable and maintain financial liquidity, tackle non-tariffbarriers, ramp up trade and investment facilitation, embrace digitalisation anddematerialisation of trade, to name a few.  There have been recent positive movements, from the onboarding of all 10ASEAN Member States on the ASEAN Single Window live environment to the recent operationalisationof the ASEAN-Wide Self Certification Scheme; but more is needed, faster andbetter.  

By leveraging on its collectivecompetitiveness, ASEAN can be a stronger player in the broader regionaleconomy. Improving utilisation and upgrading of its existing free tradeagreements (FTAs) and ensuring the signing and early entry into force of the RegionalEconomic Comprehensive Partnership (RCEP) should form part of the region’srecovery strategy.

Fourthly, and as has been extensivelyand widely recognised, the COVID-19 pandemic propels digitalisation in allaspects of our lives. Digitalisation will be the linchpin of the post-pandemicworld. It must therefore be embraced as a broad-based strategy across all sectorsand in different dimensions, not just in the economy, but also infrastructure,institutions and regulations, processes, the public sector, social sectors likeeducation and health; and for all stakeholders, big and small businesses, ruraland urban dwellers, youth and seniors, across genders, and so on.

Some sectors or segments of populationwill require greater resources and technical support to be adept in digitaltechnologies and to be assured of access to affordable and quality digitalinfrastructure and technologies. More than ever, cybersecurity, data privacy,and trustworthy digital networks have become critical underlying conditions forsustainable digitalisation. This is a big undertaking, but is a necessary andurgent element of ASEAN’s COVID-19 recovery.

Lastly, the COVID-19 pandemic has been awake-up call for the modern society. We should not continue the way we produce,consume, work, transport, and travel unchanged. We need to live in harmony withthe broader ecosystem. Climate change is no longer a mere threat or danger. It willsoon turn into a certain crisis. The effects are already being felt andsuffered by many. We need to look after our environment and biodiversity, ifnot for anything then for humanity’s long-term survival. ASEAN’s COVID-19recovery must therefore look at strategies to mainstream sustainabilityconsiderations into all dimensions of our work, from energy to agriculture,disaster management to financing.  

In all these strategies, the governmentscannot do it alone. COVID-19 recovery efforts are a community-wide endeavour,calling for support from and partnership with all stakeholders, including thebusiness sector, civil societies, development partners, and the internationalcommunity.

Just as important as framing ASEAN’s COVID-19recovery efforts is having a vision of ASEAN in a post-pandemic world. Thisconversation alone would be deserving of its own space, and should also beinformed by the outcomes of the Mid Term Review of the ASEAN CommunityBlueprints, to look at both contextual and implementation challenges. But onecan expect to see an even greater imperative for ASEAN centrality and unity as thebedrock of collective resilience in the region. The crisis has taught uscompassion, and renewed the call for a more equal, inclusive, and sustainablecommunity. It also gives us the opportunity to address the weaknesses in ourfundamentals to protect lives and livelihoods of not just those who are affectedtoday, but also to ensure wellbeing of those tomorrow./.