Cognisant of the urgent need to address the challenges of a pandemic outbreak, leaders of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) at the 7th ASEM Summit in 2008 stated their determination to combat a possible human influenza pandemic. Following this strong political statement and reinforced by the willingness of the Japanese Government to take the lead on this issue, the ASEM Initiative for the Rapid Containment of Pandemic Influenza was launched at the 9th ASEM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in May 2009 in Hanoi, Vietnam. This Initiative seeks to build the first platform to deal with public health issues between Asia and Europe, and establish a stockpile of anti-viral drugs and equipment.

Under this framework, ASEF aims to establish the ASEF Network for Public Health, a bi-regional platform for enhanced collaboration on health-related issues between Asia and Europe. The Network’s activities will mainly focus on enhancing general public awareness and preparedness as well as strengthening regional mechanisms on pandemics and infectious diseases.

For more information about ASEF's activities in this area, please contact us, or click on one of our related programmes.