Modi offers $10m to fight virus at Saarc video talk

Urging India’s neighbours to come together to fight challenges emerging from the coronavirus outbreak, India on Sunday offered to set up a “Covid19 Emergency Fund” for the benefit of Saarc nations with an initial contribution of $10 million, which could be used by any member state for its urgent requirements.

“This could be based on voluntary contributions from all of us. India can start with an initial offer of $10 million for this fund,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during a video conference of Saarc leaders. Mr Modi said the foreign secretaries of the Saarc nations could quickly coordinate through their embassies on the utilisation of this fund.

The video meeting was attended by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Maldives President

A video grab shows Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Saarc leaders during a video conference on combating Covid-19. — AP

Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Nepal PM K.P. Sharma Oli, Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina, Bhutan PM Dr Lotay Tshering and a Pakistani representative, standing in for Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Pakistan was represented by its health minister Zafar Mirza, who used the opportunity to raise the lockdown in Jammu and Kashmir. Mr Mirza said all restrictions should be lifted in J&K as “dissemination

of information is essential” to tackle the virus threat.

Mr Modi offered to place the Rapid Response Task Force India is creating and testing kits at the disposal of Saarc members, provide online training to health personnel of Saarc nations, and create a common research platform to coordinate research on fighting epidemic diseases in the South Asia region.

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