Anwar urges Asean to diversify food, medicine supply sources amid global uncertainty

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Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has called on Asean member states to diversify their sources of food and medicines while strengthening ...

MANILA, Nov 15 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has called on Asean member states to diversify their sources of food and medicines while strengthening regional production capacity to reduce reliance on external suppliers amid growing global uncertainties.

He said recent global disruptions had exposed the risks of depending on a limited number of suppliers for essential goods, underscoring the need for greater regional cooperation to safeguard supply chains.

In his intervention at the plenary session of the 49th Asean Summit here today, Anwar said member states should increase intra-regional trade in agricultural inputs, including fertilisers, seeds and animal feed, while ensuring the uninterrupted movement of essential supplies across borders during crises.

“Nowhere is this more urgent than in food and medicines, the essentials our people cannot do without.

“Bolstering regional food security must start with fertilisers, seeds and feed, much of which we source from beyond our region.

“Asean must strengthen resilience across this whole chain: trading more of these inputs among ourselves, keeping essential food and agricultural inputs flowing through trusted green lanes in times of crisis, and collectively optimising regional reserves such as the Asean Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve,” he said.

On medicines, Anwar urged Asean countries to recognise one another’s regulatory approvals, pool their purchasing power and stockpiles, and expand regional manufacturing of essential medicines and vaccines.

He said the Covid-19 pandemic had demonstrated how quickly supply chains could break down during times of crisis.

“We must not be complacent, climate change and environmental degradation make the looming risk of a future pandemic a statistical probability.

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