Australian government has confirmed support for Southeast Asian countries, including Cambodia, to have access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines.

The information was shared by H.E. Ambassador Pablo Kang during a meeting with Minister of Health H.E. Mam Bunheng here recently.

According to the Australian Embassy in Phnom Penh, in the meeting, the two sides discussed support for Cambodia to access and deliver safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, as part of Australia’s AUD 500 million regional vaccine initiative.

“We will provide funding for countries in Southeast Asia to enter into vaccine advance purchase agreements, so that they can be at the front of the queue,” the Australian diplomat said.

“Because we know that vaccine safety and efficacy are paramount, our health security partnerships will support national regulators to rigorously assess vaccine candidates. And we will also provide support to ensure countries’ health systems are prepared to deliver doses as efficiently as possible,” he underlined.

“We are proud to support early access to vaccines for Southeast Asian communities, knowing it will help Cambodia to reopen, rebuild and prosper. We are all in this together,” said H.E. Pablo Kang.