VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta (VOI News) - The European Union (EU) Ambassador to ASEAN Igor Driesmans launched the EU-ASEAN Blue Book 2020 Cooperation Report, Friday (05/08/2020) in Jakarta. The Blue Book is an annual publication on cooperation between the European Union and ASEAN. This year, the Blue Book with the theme "Natural Partners" that reflects the cooperation of the European Union and ASEAN covers issues of trade and economic integration, connectivity, policy dialogue, and mitigation of climate change and the environment.

In his remarks, Igor Driesmans highlighted the global conditions affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. According to him in the future, the cooperation program between the European Union and ASEAN will be more focused on efforts to respond to the pandemic. Previously, the European Union had channeled aid amounting to 350 million Euros to support efforts against the pandemic by ASEAN.

Igor stated that as a partner, the European Union supported ASEAN to make a collective effort as a region to deal with the Coronavirus pandemic.

"Of course today we all have in our minds the Corona Virus and we have decided to work together with ASEAN hand in hand. On the 20th of March, our foreign ministers with health ministers and other officials met to discuss what to do together to combat the Corona Virus. For us, this is an international fight. International solidarity. International cooperation is the key to combat the Corona Virus. And it wasn't about looking inwards. It’s about reaching out hands and because at the end of the day no one will be safe and that’s everybody to save, said Ambassador Igor Driesmans.

Regarding the cooperation between the European Union and ASEAN, Ambassador Igor Driesmans expressed that the cooperation between the two regions has progressed better. The two sides have collaborated on a variety of issues ranging from climate change to maritime security, the digital economy to high-power computerization.

According to him, until now, the European Union is still the number one development partner for ASEAN with a portfolio of 250 billion Euros. European Union investment in ASEAN is recorded as the highest investment and the second-largest trading partner for ASEAN. This collaboration is expected to continue to be improved in the future. (VOI/ANDY/AHM)