Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi drew attention to the significance of international cooperation in meeting medical supplies during the COVID-19 International Coordination Group (ICG) Teleconference on Tuesday.

"I participated in the COVID-19 International Coordinating Group teleconference with ministers of Turkey, South Africa, Singapore, Morocco, France, Canada, Germany, Brazil, Peru, and the UK," the minister tweeted on her Twitter account.

During the online meeting, the minister shared Indonesia's experiences in procuring medical supplies under a joint production agreement with South Korea.

"Production cooperation between producers and owners of raw materials should be increased to ensure the availability of personal protection gear," Marsudi noted in a written statement here on Wednesday.

This cooperation is expected to become an example for Other nations are expected to take a cue from this cooperation, both for the production of medical protection equipment and for vaccine development.

The minister also reiterated the importance of partnerships and synergies to ensure safe human movement between countries and supply chains, especially drugs and medical devices, amid the tightening global policies on the flow of goods and people owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking in connection with the movement of people, the foreign minister underlined the need to agree on a joint protocol or procedure on the process of returning people to their countries of origin by adhering to various health procedures.

This is crucial to break the chain of transmission and prevent imported COVID-19 cases.

Initiated by Canada, the ICG Forum aims to serve as a routine coordination platform for foreign ministers of various countries, with the main objective being to ensure the smooth handling of the COVID-19 crisis. Related news: 50,000 coronavirus test kits from LG to arrive on Sunday
Related news: Indonesia receives 10,000 COVID-19 test kits from Singapore




Translator: Fardah Assegaf
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2020