PHNOM PENH, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) countries on Wednesday called for COVID-19 vaccines to be public goods.

The leaders of the ACMECS countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam made the call during the 9th ACMECS summit held via video link.

"In combating COVID-19, the leaders agreed to reinforce the ongoing national efforts and to strengthen cooperation within ASEAN-led mechanisms, with external partners and international organizations, especially the World Health Organization, to ensure that COVID-19 vaccines will become public goods and that essential medical services will be available, accessible and affordable for all," said a statement released after the videoconference.

On socio-economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the leaders discussed collaborative means and principles for their countries to promote multi-dimensional connectivity amid the COVID-19 impact on mobility and global value chains, it added.

Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, who chaired the biennial meeting, said ACMECS countries should proactively work with their development partners in promoting the notion of "vaccine multilateralism" in order to ensure equitable and safe access to COVID-19 vaccines.

He also said Cambodia will contribute 7 million U.S. dollars to the ACMECS development fund in a bid to accelerate the implementation of development projects in the region and to fuel the post-pandemic economic recovery.