Bhutan pledges USD 100,000 to SAARC Corona Emergency Fund

Bhutan on Friday pledged USD 100,000 contribution to SAARC COVID-19 Emergency Fund, which was proposed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with an initial offer of USD 10 million to help combat coronavirus pandemic in region.

ting urgent need for collective efforts to combat coronavirus crisis in South Asia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement said Bhutan government reassured its full support and cooperation to do everything possible in close collaboration with all SAARC nations to overcome COVID-19 pandemic.

Welcoming Prime Minister Modi's anuncement of creation of emergency fund, ministry said Bhutan government "has decided to make an initial contribution of USD 100,000".

In a video conference on forming a joint strategy to fight COVID-19 in SAARC region, Prime Minister Modi on March 15 proposed emergency fund with an initial offer of USD 10 million from India and asserted that best way to deal with pandemic was by coming toger, and t growing apart.

statement said video conference initiated by PM Modi "created a platform for leers to share experiences on combatting pandemic in respective countries and chart out collective strategy to combat threat of COVID-19".

Founded in 1985, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation and geopolitical union of Afghanistan, Banglesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Apart from Modi, Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering, Banglesh premier Sheikh Hasina, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Nepalese Prime Minister Oli, Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani and Special Assistant to Pakistani Prime Minister on Health Zafar Mirza, participated in conference.