Let’s unite to fight Covid, PM urges SAARC nations

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 13

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today proposed that SAARC nations should join hands to chalk out a strong strategy to fight Covid-19. The proposal found immediate favour with all member countries with Pakistan giving its assent late in the night.

In keeping with the need to avoid contact, Modi suggested that the SAARC nations could set an example to the world and contribute to a healthier planet if they together discussed the measures via video conferencing.

‘We’re trying our best’

We could discuss, via video conferencing, ways to keep our citizens healthy. Our planet is battling the Covid-19 novel coronavirus. At various levels, governments and people are trying their best to combat it. — Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

The call for a joint strategy with SAARC comes at a time when its members are following disparate strategies that lay stress on self-isolation and containment with India closing down many of the land border crossings and Bangladesh stopping all flights to India.

Modi, in another tweet, wanted South Asia to “leave no stone unturned” in battling Covid-19 and noted that governments and people at various levels are trying their best to combat it.

PM Modi’s social media post began garnering favourable responses from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Afghanistan, Nepal and Bhutan. President of Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih used his Twitter handle to thank Modi for taking the initiative and assured the full backing of his island nation for such a regional effort.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa also used his official Twitter handle to describe the proposal as a “great initiative” which is needed during these trying times. “Thank you for the great initiative… Sri Lanka is ready to join the discussion and share our learning and best practices and to learn from other SAARC members. Let’s unite in solidarity during these trying times and keep our citizens safe,” he tweeted.

Bhutan PM Lotay Tshering said, “this is what we call leadership” and pointed out that as “smaller economies are hit harder, so we must coordinate.” Tshering was confident that with PM Modi’s leadership, there will be an immediate and impactful outcome. “Looking forward to the video conference,” he signed off.

Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli also used his official handle to welcomed the proposal and expressed Nepal’s willingness to work closely with SAARC member states to protect their citizens from the epidemic.

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina, through Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed Shahriar Alam, welcomed the proposal and looked forward to a constructive dialogue with other leaders who have “already consented to discuss way forward at this testing time for the region and the world”.

Sediq Sediqqi, spokesperson for the Afghan President, also strongly welcomed India’s proposal to work together to devise a unified strategy to fight Covid-19 in the region.

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