STATEMENT BY
H.E. AMBASSADOR SYED MOHAMAD HASRIN AIDID
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF MALAYSIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS
ON BEHALF OF
THE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS (ASEAN)
AT
THE THIRD COMMITTEE OF THE 76TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Mr. Chair,
1. It is my great pleasure to deliver this statement on behalf of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). On behalf of the Member States of ASEAN, allow me to convey our congratulations to you, Excellency Mohamed Siad Doualeh as Chair, as well as to the rest of the members of the Bureau, for assuming the responsibilities of spearheading the work of the Third Committee for the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
2. Since its inception over a half-century ago, ASEAN has enabled and ensured that the region would grow, prosper and engage with the world. Our meeting today could not be at a more crucial time. The world remains beleaguered with the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. We in ASEAN are not excluded. As of this month, more than 11.9 million cases of COVID-19 have been reported in ASEAN, with over 260 thousand deaths. Not only lives are lost, but the successive waves of COVID-19 and the emergence of newer and deadlier variants continue to have devastating impacts on virtually all facets of society.
3. Notwithstanding the unprecedented circumstances surrounding COVID-19, ASEAN remains committed to strengthening regional and international cooperation, in close cooperation with the United Nations and its agencies, external partners and the international community in addressing issues impacted by the pandemic as we work towards achieving the 2030 Agenda, in a complementary manner with the ASEAN Community Vision 2025.
4. Despite being under siege with the pandemic, ASEAN remains united in our response, as we mount a head-on challenge against the pandemic. ASEAN’s unity and Centrality remains core in our efforts to address common challenges as well as to advance ASEAN’s comprehensive recovery from the pandemic. We are focused on further strengthening cooperation and advancing our partnerships to ensure resilience and sustainable development. We are also steadfast in achieving our goals of a politically cohesive, economically integrated, socially responsible and a truly rules-based, people-oriented, people-centred ASEAN. To this end, ASEAN will continue its work on developing the ASEAN SHIELD, which will promote a strategic, holistic and coordinated approach across all ASEAN Community pillars in responding to emergencies and disasters.
Health
Mr. Chair,
5. ASEAN’s collective response and recovery efforts to COVID-19 is based on whole-of-government efforts of ASEAN Member States, as well as a whole-of-Community approach. The ASEAN Coordinating Council Working Group on Public Health Emergencies (ACCWG-PHE), the ASEAN health sectoral body and other relevant ASEAN bodies have been pivotal in addressing the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic in a coordinated multi-sectoral, cross-pillar and multi-stakeholder manner.
6. In battling the pandemic, we have established the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund which will be used to procure COVID-19 vaccines for the people of ASEAN and the ASEAN Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies for Public Health Emergencies which earmarks medical supplies from donor countries that can be used in case of public health emergencies. We have also developed the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework, the ASEAN Strategic Framework on Public Health Emergencies and the ASEAN Standard Operating Procedures for Public Health Emergencies to ensure our response plans are coordinated and effective. Our efforts are guided by the Declaration of the Special ASEAN Summit on COVID-19.
7. We commend the World Health Organization (WHO) which has spear-headed global efforts to combat the pandemic. We also commend the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility initiative. From the outset, ASEAN has rallied and worked together to address the COVID-19 pandemic in a holistic, comprehensive, inclusive and practical manner. We reiterate the call for enhanced collaboration and sharing of experiences, research, development, production, and distribution of vaccines, providing equitable access to medicines for COVID-19, making COVID-19 vaccines available and affordable to all as global public goods. It is important that the vaccine-gap is addressed urgently to prevent more deaths and in facing new emerging variants.
Human Rights
Mr. Chair,
8. As human rights have been exacerbated by the pandemic, ASEAN member States have been working closely with the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) in rolling out its priority programmes that strategically focus on human rights and other cross-sectoral issues. The implementation of AICHR’s Priority Programmes/Activities on human rights, have emphasis on areas, such as; women, children and persons with disabilities, as well as migrant workers. In the context of public health and recovery response to the COVID-19 pandemic, AICHR has also looked into the needs of vulnerable groups.
9. Recently, ASEAN Member States met with AICHR at the ASEAN Human Rights Dialogue 2021 held on 21 September 2021, to discuss varying areas of human rights. This included discussions on freedom of religion and belief, freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of association, rights of migrant workers, the rights of women, the rights of children, trafficking in persons, the rights of persons with disabilities, SDGs, business and human rights, older persons. The Dialogue also discussed measures in addressing COVID-19, poverty eradication, right to health, right to education, right to peace, racial discrimination, and right to life.
Social Development
Mr. Chair,
10. On social development we reaffirm our commitment to fostering cooperation in social welfare and development aimed at raising the standard of living, especially for the poor and vulnerable groups in ASEAN and seeking the active involvement of all sectors of society. We are committed to building a harmonious and resilient community with the people at its centre. We are preparing and adapting for the future to ensure that ASEAN remains relevant and resilient to overcome existing and future challenges and threats. We are also focused on creating opportunities for people to benefit through initiatives that enhance sustainable and prosperity of the region.
11. In this regard, the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Social Welfare and Development (AMMSWD) serves as an important platform in ensuring sustained partnerships and cooperation among non-government organisations, civil society organisations and the private sector in ASEAN so as to ensure that our social development agenda remains on track, as enshrined in the ASEAN Vision 2025, Declaration of ASEAN Concord 1 (1976), Declaration of ASEAN Concord II (2003) and the Hanoi Plan of Action. ASEAN’s goals are also in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the Incheon Strategy to “Make the Right Real” for Persons with Disabilities, the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing and the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDG).
12. Our people are the key to regional development and the success of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025. In ensuring the ensuring protection, inclusion and resilience of all people of ASEAN, in particular vulnerable groups in the region, ASEAN Ministerial bodies are working closely together in ensuring the full implementation of the Regional Framework and Action Plan on Implementing the ASEAN Declaration on Strengthening Social Protection and the ASEAN Enabling Masterplan 2025: Mainstreaming the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on the Elimination of Violence Against Children.
13. Further to this, we remain committed to implementing the measure outlined in the 2020 Joint Statement of the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Social Welfare and Development “Mitigating Impacts of COVID-19 on Vulnerable Groups in ASEAN” that encompasses facilitating access to social protection, protecting the rights, safety and dignity of the peoples of ASEAN. This includes ensuring health and safety of social workers at all levels, strengthening national inter-agency cooperation and regional cross-sectoral cooperation.
14. In addressing issues emerging from and exacerbated by the pandemic, we undertaken various regional initiatives for the promotion of mental health, sustainable climate, poverty eradication, gender mainstreaming, readiness for the future of work, social work, sports development, children’s rights, and information and awareness. Addressing the needs of the peoples of ASEAN remains central in our agenda to ensure that the vision of our Leaders are achieved and region continues in prosperity.
Mr. Chair,
Advancement of Women and Rights of the Child
15. The inclusive and meaningful participation of women and girls in ASEAN’s social and economic development agenda has become more urgent, particularly as women and girls have also been impacted by the pandemic. Last year, ASEAN had convened the ASEAN Women Leaders’ Summit in November 2020. With the theme “Women’s Role in Building a Cohesive, Dynamic, Sustainable, and Inclusive ASEAN Community in a Post-COVID-19 World”, the Summit focused on the role of women in the process of building the ASEAN Community following the COVID-19 pandemic.
16. The role of women in ASEAN can also be seen in peace and security issues in the region. ASEAN’s efforts in promoting and empowering women’s participation and leading roles can be seen in the ASEAN Regional Study on Women, Peace and Security that outlines ASEAN’s commitment to gender equality, women’s leadership, and women’s role and participation in implementing the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework. These initiatives are in line with the 1988 ASEAN Declaration on the Advancement of Women in ASEAN, the Joint Statement on Promoting Women, Peace and Security in ASEAN, the Action Agenda on Mainstreaming Women’s Economic Empowerment in ASEAN and the ASEAN Declaration on the Gender-Responsive Implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, which cements gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls as key priorities of ASEAN.
17. Important to the work of empowering the work of women and girls is the work of the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) as well as the ASEAN Women’s Entrepreneur Network (AWEN). Both mechanism have played instrumental roles in advocating gender equality, formulating regional guidelines as well as organizing programmes that advances the rights of women and girls.
18. As States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), ASEAN Member States remain committed to advancing the rights of children, including the protection of children from all forms of exploitation and abuse. ASEAN Member States have adopted national and regional frameworks, as well as established mechanisms to ensure respect for a full range of children’s rights, as enshrined in the Ha Noi Declaration on the Enhancement of Welfare and Development of ASEAN Women, the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the 2016-2025 ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on the Elimination of Violence against Children. This year we successfully concluded the first data collection for the monitoring framework of the “ASEAN Roadmap on Elimination of Worst Forms of Child Labour by 2025”.
Transnational Crime/Crime Prevention, Drugs and Cybercrime
Mr. Chair,
19. ASEAN remains deeply committed to protecting our regional and global community against transnational crime and extremism. The Annual Ministerial Meetings on Transnational Crime (AMMTC) continues to coordinate at the highest level the regions response to transnational crimes such as human trafficking, terrorism, cybercrime and drug trafficking.
20. Despite the looming pandemic, ASEAN Member States have continued to strengthen cross-sectoral and cross-pillar cooperation in implementing regional initiatives to combat transnational crime. This is demonstrated by the adaptivity and resourcefulness of law enforcement agencies to the “new normal” in continuing to implement the ASEAN Plan of Action in Combating Transnational Crime (2016-2025). This is cognisant of the fact that criminal groups continue to take advantage of the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to exploit vulnerable groups.
21. In in addressing the issues of trafficking in persons, smuggling of migrants and related transnational crime, including irregular movement of persons, ASEAN continues to strengthen existing regional frameworks. We continue to build on the implementation of the Bohol Trafficking in Persons Work Plan (2017-2020), which involved coordination between nine ASEAN Sectoral Bodies.
22. Drugs is another issue of concern and ASEAN is committed with its drug-free ASEAN and zero-tolerance approach towards illicit drugs. ASEAN continues to ensure the full implementation of the ASEAN Work Plan in Securing Communities Against Illicit Drugs 2016-2025 (ASEAN Work Plan 2016-2025) and the extended ASEAN Cooperation Plan to Tackle Illicit Drug Production and Trafficking in the Golden Triangle (2020 – 2022). ASEAN’s determination to combat the drug problem is further complemented by the work of the ASEAN Narcotics Cooperation Centre and the ASEAN Drug Monitoring Network further plays a vital role in information sharing and drug surveillance in the region.
Mr. Chair,
23. As the pandemic has forced most of our peoples and businesses to work from home and be dependent on digital technology, improving cyber capabilities to combat cybercrime remains an imperative. In view of the rapidly growing threats in the cyber sphere, especially with the recent rise of global cybersecurity and supply chain attacks and threats, ASEAN is committed to building an open, secure, stable, accessible, interoperable, and peaceful ICT environment in ASEAN. This commitment is demonstrated with the establishment of the cross-sectoral and cross-pillar ASEAN Cybersecurity Coordinating Committee (ASEAN Cyber-CC). We are also in the midst of finalising the Regional Action Plan on the Implementation of the Norms of Responsible State Behaviour in Cyberspace.
24. The ASEAN Cyber Defence Network (ACDN) and the ADMM Cybersecurity and Information Centre of Excellence (ACICE) that worked under the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) framework also looks at safeguarding the regions cyber space. The ACDN links cyber defence operation centres of ASEAN Member States to promote and enhance a secure and resilient cyber space through greater collaboration, while the ACICE strengthens cooperation between defence establishments against disinformation and misinformation.
25. Related to this is the importance of capacity building in cybersecurity in the region. Various cybersecurity activities and training programmes offered by the ASEAN-Singapore Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence (ASCCE) in Singapore and the ASEAN-Japan Cybersecurity Capacity Building Centre (AJCCBC) in Bangkok facilitates in this endeavor, as it complements existing ASEAN efforts in cybersecurity capacity building.
Mr. Chair,
26. Let me end by stating that the pandemic has brought us to a crossroads. It is important that international community work together in solidarity in facing the multitude of challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. For ASEAN the choice is clear. We continue to reiterate the need for strengthened regional and international collaboration. We must choose the right path together if we want to be successful in achieving the 2030 Agenda and in navigating through this global health crisis.
27. On behalf of ASEAN Member States, please be assured of our commitment and readiness to take part proactively in the deliberations of the Third Committee during this Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
I thank you