ASEAN Economic Ministers have adopted the Ha Noi Action Plan to beef up economic linkages and supply chains within the bloc amidst the complicated Covid-19 pandemic. 

Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh

The plan was reached Thursday at the virtual Special ASEAN Economic Ministers' Meeting on the COVID-19 response chaired by the Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh.

The plan  was composed on the basis of the Joint Declaration of ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Retreat which took place last March. 

Accordingly, plan covers specific measures for ASEAN economic recovery such as sustaining commitments to market openness in favor of food security and sustainability of the regional supply chains; avoidance of unnecessary non-tariff measures, development of foundations for trade facilitation.

The meeting also draws the participation of the ASEAN Secretary-General 

The plan also targets to optimize digital technology and e-commerce to support enterprises especially small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to survive and thrive. 

The adoption of the plan reaffirms the role of the ASEAN Economic Community in responding and adapting to complicated developments of the pandemic and Viet Nam’s position as the ASEAN Chair in 2020.

The video-meeting also aimed to realize the agreements reached by ASEAN leaders at the Special ASEAN Summit on COVID-19 response held on April 14./.