Afghanistan contributes $1million to SAARC emergency fund to fight COVID-19

Afghanistan has contributed USD one million to COVID-19 Emergency Fund as per the discussions among the SAARC heads of nations, in a bid to collaborating and strengthening partnership to fight the pandemic.

Kabul [Afghsrtan], Mar 21 : Afghstan has contributed USD one million to COVID-19 Emergency Fund as per the discussions among the SAARC heads of nations, in a bid to collaborating and strengthening partnership to fight the pandemic.

"The Afghan Government has just approved a contribution of One Million USD to the COVID-19 Emergency Fund as per the discussions in SAARC heads of nations VTC, believing Kabul [Afghsrtan], Mar 21 : Afghstan has contributed USD one million to COVID-19 Emergency Fund as per the discussions among the SAARC heads of nations, in a bid to collaborating and strengthening partnership to fight the pandemic.in joint collaboration, and strengthening partnership to fight this pandemic," Sediq Sediqqi, spokesperson for President of Afghstan, said on Twitter.

On March 15, during his interaction with leaders of SAARC countries through video conferencing, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had proposed the creation of a COVID-19 Emergency Fund based on voluntary contributions from all the countries, with India making an initial offer of USD10 million for the fund.

Being a part of SAARC, land-locked Himalayan countries of Nepal and Bhutan had earlier proposed (Nepali Rupees) NPR 100 million and USD 100,000, respectively, to help combat the rapid spreading of the infection in the region.

Appreciating the efforts of the nations, Prime Minister Modi said it is wonderful to see SAARC leaders taking initiatives that are adding strength to the collective fight against the killer bug that has infected more than 272,000 people and killed at least 11,310 globally, according to the data compiled by Johns Hopkins University and cited by CNN.

( With inputs from ANI )