The European Union and ASEAN have discussed closer coordination on preparing for future health emergencies and responding to emerging threats.
The talks were held at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta on September 4. Dr Florika Fink-Hooijer represented the European Union, while ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn attended for the regional bloc.
Fink-Hooijer heads the European Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority, or HERA.
Both regions face similar risks from emerging infectious diseases. Climate change could increase those risks, while growing international travel could make it easier for new threats to spread across borders.
The two sides also looked back at their work during the COVID-19 pandemic and stressed the need to maintain strong regional partnerships on health security.
HERA was established in 2021 after the pandemic exposed gaps in the EU’s preparedness for major health emergencies.
One area of discussion was the ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases, known as ACPHEED. Officials discussed how the two regions could support its establishment and future operations.
The meeting also covered other areas where the EU and ASEAN could coordinate on health emergency preparedness and response.
It comes ahead of the EU-ASEAN Commemorative Summit in 2027, which will mark 50 years of dialogue relations between the two regions.
Both sides pointed to their pandemic-era experience as an example of how regional partnerships can help countries respond when new health threats emerge.
