Jakarta, June 24 -- Special Envoy of the President for International Trade and Multilateral Cooperation Mari Elka Pangestu highlighted three key areas for collaboration within ASEAN to strengthen the regional vaccine ecosystem, including demand, regulation, and capacity building.

Pangestu said here on Wednesday that the regional collaboration is crucial to better prepare for future pandemics. She noted that ASEAN's population of around 650 million people presents significant potential to create a sustainable demand for vaccines.

"In terms of demand which can be created, manufacturing vaccine is crucial. The chain for vaccine manufacturing can be in each country, but the important thing is to build strong supply chain in the region, acce...