New Delhi: Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Wednesday claimed India led international cooperation in dealing with the COVID-19 disaster. Speaking on the session ‘Plurilateralism Inc: The Future of Global Governance’ on the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi.
“In his address, the PM noted that the G20, which was created in response to the financial and economic crisis, was meeting for the first time to deal with a humanitarian situation. The Summit took some far-reaching measures designed to support developing countries in dealing with the unprecedented crisis, including through the Debt Service Suspension Initiative,” the Foreign Secretary was quoted as saying by ANI.
The Foreign Minister mentioned PM Modi has additionally proposed a G20 Summit to handle the COVID-19 pandemic. He mentioned the Prime Minister additionally participated within the NAM Extraordinary Summit on the COVID-19 pandemic.
“More recently, the first Quad Summit announced a vaccine initiative, whereby vaccines manufactured in India, financed by USA and Japan, would be supplied across the Indo-Pacific with Australian last-mile logistical support,” he mentioned.
“Nowhere has the need to consult, cooperate and coordinate with other states been felt as greatly as during the COVID-19 crisis,” Shringla mentioned.
India presently chairs the World Health Assembly and is part of the WHO`s Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response (IPPR) to consider the world`s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
India labored intently with the COVAX facility, GAVI and the UN on vaccines improvement and provide.
The Foreign Secretary mentioned India is a part of a number of groupings, beginning with the UN and its specialised businesses, extending to plurilateral constructs such because the BRICS, SCO and Quad in addition to smaller and extra casual trilateral conferences corresponding to RIC and JAI.
“This is in keeping with our belief in working in close cooperation with all concerned on our regional, multilateral and global responsibilities,” he mentioned.
Prime Minister Modi additionally convened a regional assembly of SAARC heads of state or authorities as early as March 2020 when the choice to transfer to lockdown was but to be taken.This regional assembly was attended by all and resulted within the creation of the SAARC COVID Emergency Response Fund and intensive regional cooperation amongst well being professionals and provide of COVID-related well being tools.
