Jakarta, Indonesia 24 August 2023
- (1) The ASEAN Finance and Health Ministers Meeting (AFHMM) was convened on August 24, 2023, under the co-chairmanship of H.E. Sri Mulyani Indrawati Finance Minister of Indonesia, and H.E. Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Health Minister of Indonesia. This joint meeting of ASEAN Finance and Health Ministers recognised the importance of health and finance collaboration.
- (2) The Meeting reiterated support for Indonesia’s ASEAN Chairpersonship under the theme “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth” and was encouraged by the progress made in the realisation of the key Strategic Thrust for the ASEAN Economic Pillar on “Recovery and Rebuilding”, to address the immediate challenges in ensuring the region’s recovery and post-pandemic rebuilding efforts.
- (3) The Meeting recognised the importance of continued collaboration between finance and health authorities to strengthen regional health capacity in addressing the pandemic prevention preparedness and response (PPR). The Meeting noted the study on national and regional financial architecture for strengthening post-COVID-19 pandemic PPR in Southeast Asia. The meeting noted a study which identifies significant financing gaps in relation to PPR readiness in all ASEAN Member States, and the modalities for investment for strengthening national PPR capacities; and increased contributions to, integrate with and effective use of the existingCOVID-19 and Other Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases ASEAN Response Fund.
- (4) The Meeting reiterated the need to build momentum towards a strong and sustainable recovery by focusing on the implementation of existing mechanisms and strategies as well as optimising regional resources and ensuring the synergies with global efforts, such as The Pandemic Fund, officially launched at Indonesia’s 2022 G20 Presidency, to ensure that ASEAN have increased the prevention, preparedness and response capacities towards future potential public health threats posed by emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. The Meeting emphasised the need to enhance multisectoral and multilateral collaborations under the framework of One Health, which brings together health, animal, plant and environmental sectors into a holistic and sustainable solutions.
- (5) In the spirit of the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on One Health Initiative to promote the One Health approach in the region, the Meeting reaffirmed the commitment to increase national investment on One Health capacity and explore other innovative financing including bilateral and multilateral initiatives, cooperating and engaging with international and development partners, to support the implementation of the Declaration.
- (6) The Meeting affirmed our commitment to strengthening regional health architecture beyond COVID-19 towards achieving resilience in the ASEAN Community, considering the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework (ACRF). The Meeting recognised the expansion of the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund to the existing COVID-19 and Other Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases ASEAN Response Fund and agreed to expedite the finalisation of the Establishment Agreement and preparatory phase of the ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases (ACPHEED).
- (7) The Meeting highlighted the importance of ensuring the highest standard of health for ASEAN peoples through effective, equitable, and sustainable improvements of the health system and infrastructure by, inter alia, exploring modalities for a possible regional financial mechanism through utilising existing regional and global resources for pandemic PPR, supporting the works of ASEAN Vaccine Security and Self-Reliance, addressing health risks due to climate change and the degradation of ecosystems, strengthening One Health surveillance for risk assessment enhancing the well-being of health and care workers, as well as expanding the coverage of essential health care services towards Universal Health Coverage for communicable and non-communicable diseases of all people and energizing the works of ASEAN Centre for Active Aging and Innovation for healthy aging society of our region.
- (8) The meeting expressed deep appreciation to Indonesia for hosting the meeting and welcomed AMS’s ongoing support to discuss on further collaboration at the Senior Officials Level for both respective ASEAN Health and Finance Sectors.
Joint Statement of The ASEAN Finance and Health Ministers’ Meeting (AFHMM) Download