MANILA, Nov. 13 (Xinhua): Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has called for "closer international cooperation" at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting, to speed up global economic recovery amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Closer international cooperation is needed to address these constraints and to ensure that all countries recover from this crisis," Duterte said at the virtual meeting.
APEC economies, the Philippine president said, need improved risk management systems, better response and mitigation measures, and more robust support mechanisms for vulnerable communities.
To achieve these goals, he called for the creation of an integrated vaccine passport validation and contact tracing system, institutionalizing social protection for non-traditional forms of employment, and promoting transnational education and digital inclusion in APEC economies.
Duterte reiterated calls for developed economies to support vulnerable countries like the Philippines in mitigating climate change.
"Developing economies such as the Philippines contribute the least to climate change, but we are the most vulnerable to its disastrous consequences," he added.
Meanwhile, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said in an earlier speech that promoting the integration of Asean Community in the new normal is a necessary task to create a great force to transform Asean into a resilient and competitive region.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 27th Asean Transport Ministers Meeting and Related Meetings via video link, Hun Sen said besides fighting against the spread of Covid-19 and developing strategies to revitalise and boost economic growth, the world is facing many common issues, such as geopolitics, trade wars and climate change.
In order to address all these issues for the benefit and prosperity of the Asean, Cambodia understands that Asean must adhere to multilateralism and solidarity, he said.
"As a way forward, Cambodia views that promoting the integration of Asean Community in the new normal is a necessary and appropriate task to create a great force aimed at transforming Asean as a whole into a resilient, competitive and inclusive region," Hun Sen said.
"In this context, the Master Plan on Asean Connectivity 2025 will serve as a key plan that will ensure economic growth with minimal development gaps and seamless connectivity among the Asean member states and with the world, by further promoting harmony and inclusivity of the three key dimensions of connectivity, namely physical, institutional and people-to-people connectivity," he said. - Xinhua
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