Making a strong pitch for SAARC nations to jointly combat coronavirus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday proposed setting up a COVID-19 emergency fund with India committing USD 10 million initially for it, and asserted that the best way to deal with the pandemic was by coming together, and not growing apart.
Apart from Modi, Sri Lankan President GotabayaRajapaksa,Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Nepalese Prime Minister K P SharmaOli, Bhutanese premier LotayTshering, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Special Assistant to Pakistani Prime Ministeron Health Zafar Mirza, participated in the video conference.
The underlying message of the video conference was unitedlytaking on the pandemic, but Pakistan used the occasion to raise Kashmir, withMirza calling for the “lockdown” to be eased in Jammu and Kashmir to deal withthe coronavirus threat.
In a significant message, Modi asserted that it wasimportant for the SAARC member countries to work together and said the regioncan best respond to the coronavirus pandemic by “coming together, not growingapart”.
Modi said it was important to focus on collaboration, notconfusion, and preparation, not panic.
Mirza, in his remarks, also hailed China for its efforts todeal with the coronavirus and urged other SAARC nations to learn best practicesfrom it.
After initial remarks by the leaders, Prime Minister Modimade a series of suggestions which were hailed by the SAARC leaders andrepresentatives.
“I propose we create a COVID-19 Emergency Fund. This couldbe based on voluntary contributions from all of us. India can start with aninitial offer of 10 million US dollars for this fund,” Modi said.
“We are assembling a Rapid Response Team of doctors andspecialists in India, along with testing kits and other equipment. They will beon stand-by, to be placed at your disposal, if required,” Modi told the SAARCleaders.
India had set up an Integrated Disease Surveillance Portalto better trace possible virus carriers and the people they contacted and itcould share this disease surveillance software with SAARC partners, Modi said.
“Looking ahead, we could create a common research platform,to coordinate research on controlling epidemic diseases within our South Asianregion. The Indian Council of Medical Research can offer help coordinating suchan exercise,” he said.
In his opening address, Modi said the South Asian region hasreported less than 150 coronavirus cases, but “we need to remain vigilant”.
“Prepare, but don’t panic” has been India’s guiding mantrain dealing with coronavirus outbreak, he said.
“We started screening people entering India from mid-Januaryitself, while gradually increasing restrictions on travel,” Modi said.
Step-by-step approach helped avoid panic and India madespecial efforts to reach out to vulnerable groups, he said.
India also responded to the call of its people abroad andevacuated nearly 1,400 Indians from different countries, he said.
Modi also said India helped some citizens of neighbouringcountries by evacuating them from coronavirus-hit nations.
Maldivian President Solih backed coordinated approach todeal with COVID-19, asserting that no country can deal with the situationalone.
Lankan President Rajapaksa said SAARC leaders shouldformulate mechanism to help the economies of the region to tide over problemsposed by coronavirus.
He also proposed setting up a SAARC ministerial-level groupto deal with issues related to coronavirus.
Hasina hailed PM Modi’s suggestions to deal with thepandemic and called for taking the initiative forward by more such videoconferences, including one with health ministers of SAARC nationsparticipating.
“Our collective efforts will help us devise a sound androbust strategy for SAARC region to fight coronavirus,” Nepal PM Oli said.
Bhutanese PM LotayTshering said that it was mportant for allcountries of the region to be on same page to combat coronavirus.
Mirza, in his initial remarks, said no nation can afford tobe unresponsive to situation in wake of coronavirus outbreak.
“We share common regional concerns on COVID-19. While hopingfor best, we have to prepare for worst,” the Pakistan PM’s Special Assistant onHealth said.
Modi on Friday had proposed formulation of a joint strategyby the SAARC nations to fight coronavirus, a suggestion that was backed by allthe member states.
Calling on the SAARC nations to set an example for theworld, Modi had reached out to the eight-member regional grouping and pitchedfor a video-conference among its leaders to chalk out a strong strategy tofight coronavirus, which has killed more than 5,000 people globally.
His appeal got a prompt response from Sri Lankan PresidentRajapaksa, Maldivian President Solih, Nepalese Prime Minister Oli, Bhutanesepremier Tshering, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Hasina and the Afghan government,all of whom welcomed the proposal.
Pakistan’s response to the proposal came in after the rest,with the country’s Foreign Office Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui saying Mirza willbe available to participate in the video-conference.