Myanmar is in urgent need of vaccine, medicine for treatment and oxygen during its third wave of Covid-19 pandemic, said Union Minister for International Cooperation U Ko Ko Hlaing. 

He made the comment during the 14th Mekong-Japan Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, which was held via video conference on the afternoon of August 6, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.

The meeting was chaired by the Mr. Motegi Toshimitsu, Foreign Minister of Japan with the participation of Foreign Ministers of the member countries; Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Viet Nam.

Union Minister U Ko Ko Hlaing underscored the dissemination of benefits to the peoples in the Mekong region through various programmes of Mekong-Japan Cooperation during 14 years of cooperation, and highlighted the role of providing platform for strengthening traditional friendship, mutual understanding and people-to-people affinity.

He raised urgent need of vaccine, medicine for treatment and oxygen during third wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Myanmar, and expressed special thanks to government of Japan for donation of ambulances, oxygen concentrators and US$280 million Covid-19 Crisis Response Emergency Support Loan for recovery of pandemic hit economy. He also sought further assistance from Japan to receive Covid-19 vaccine through COVAX program to Myanmar.

The union minister commended the “Tokyo Strategy 2018” for the tangible achievements in assisting socioeconomic development of Mekong region. He also suggested to promote digital connectivity and institutional harmonization such as mutual recognition of medical and vaccine certificates, streamlining travel procedures and standardization of required documents in the new strategy of Mekong-Japan cooperation for future cooperation.

Moreover, he stated that cooperation on joint vaccine research, assistance for vaccine production and equitable access to vaccine have to be given priority as part of the work to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC). He also supported the idea to formulate “Joint Working Group on Economic Recovery” under the Mekong-Japan Cooperation and explained the current developments in Myanmar.

During the meeting, the foreign ministers reviewed on the progress of Mekong-Japan Cooperation and exchanged views on future work of cooperation.

Mekong-Japan Cooperation has been established between Mekong countries; Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam and Japan to facilitate socio economic development of Mekong Region with the funding and technical assistance from Japan.