1. The ASEAN-United Kingdom (UK) Open-Ended Troika Meeting was held on 8 April 2021 via videoconference to discuss the critical situation on the COVID-19 pandemic, initiatives to build a resilient and sustainable economic recovery, and efforts to address the adverse impact of climate change.
2. The Meeting was chaired by The Honourable Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof, Minister of Foreign Affairs II of Brunei Darussalam, in his capacity as the Chair of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM), and attended by His Excellency Prak Sokhonn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Kingdom of Cambodia, as the incoming Chair of the AMM, His Excellency Dato Lim Jock Hoi, Secretary-General of ASEAN, and The Right Honourable Dominic Raab MP, First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the UK. Other Foreign Ministers and high representatives of ASEAN Member States also participated in the Meeting.
3. The Meeting expressed condolences on the loss of lives and extended sympathies to those suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Meeting extended heartfelt gratitude to all medical professionals, healthcare workers, and other frontline personnel involved in containing and responding to the pandemic. The Meeting acknowledged the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across the world, which has deeply affected countries’ economies and social development, as well as people’s wellbeing, welfare and livelihood. The Meeting commended the unprecedented efforts by scientists and medical experts in developing vaccines in the fight against the pandemic as well as the commitment shown by many countries around the world, including ASEAN Member States and the UK, to secure a fair, safe, timely and equitable access to the vaccines for their peoples.
