SAARC leaders agree to establish joint response mechanism

Eight South Asian countries on Sunday agreed to establish a regional response mechanism to sustainably tackle the COVID-19 situation in the region.

Leaders of all member countries of SAARC reached the agreement through a video conference from their respective capitals.

They also agreed to assess implications of the disease on the economy in the region in the long term and devise a plan to recover from the problem.

Heads of the states and the governments of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka and a representative of the prime minister of Pakistan joined the virtual conference.

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi initiated the conference from New Delhi and offered to provide a rapid response team of doctors and specialists at the disposal of SAARC, surveillance software, online training and common research mechanism to deal with the COVID-19, which the World Health Organisation has declared as pandemic.

Long-term economic consequences on internal trade and impacts on local value chain should also be taken into consideration, he said. 

India also proposed creation of COVID-19 emergency voluntary fund, in which the country would provide $10million as initial contribution. Any South Asian country

would get support from this fund.

Modi said that the South Asian countries would have to work together instead of growing apart. ‘We can respond best by coming together not growing apart, collaboration not confusion, and preparation not panic.’ 

India also proposed to set up a contact group of nodal experts for similar video conference to tackle the issues.

Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina joined the conference from her office in Dhaka and called for a strong collaboration among countries and mobilising resources for combatting COVID-19.

She appreciated holding of the conference after long time of the SAARC leaders and described the move as a new dimension in regional initiative.

Hasina also proposed for establishing an institution in Bangladesh to prevent and fight against any public health threat in the South Asia region in future.

Afghan president Ashraf Ghani proposed to form a SAARC taskforce to tackle regional challenges including impacts on commerce.

Maldivian president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih mentioned decline of tourists in the island-country. He stressed the need for devising a comprehensive regional strategy for closer cooperation in emergency health responses and long term economic recovery.

Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa proposed to constitute a SAARC ministerial-level group to coordinate combating coronavirus.  

Nepalese prime minister KP Sharma Oli proposed to establish a SAARC emergency medical centre for facing identical challenges in the region. 

He described COVID-19 as a common challenge including meeting economic challenges and stressed the need for ensuring supply of essential commodities, medicine and sanitary items. 

Bhutan’s prime minister Lotay Tshering urged for pursuing togetherness by all SAARC member countries. ‘Live behind differences.’

On facing coronavirus, Lotay, a physician, stressed the need for coordination among central and local government bodies and health facilities in South Asian countries.

Taking into consideration the economic implications is also essential to face aftermath of the disease, he added.

Pakistan, instead of prime minister Imran Khan, was represented by special adviser to prime minister Zafar Mirza. He proposed to establish a data-exchange mechanism, introducing health screening for cross-border travellers in the region and sharing and learning from best practices in South Asian countries.

He hoped to keep up the efforts to give public health a chance to bring South Asian people together.

Zafar also raised the Jammu and Kashmir issue in India during the video conference and said all restrictions should be lifted in the region to deal with coronavirus threat.

This was for the first time the top South Asian leaders have spoken at the SAARC platform since 2014 when the last summit took place in Nepalese capital Kathmandu.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net