BAKU, May 5 (NNN-BERNAMA) – A summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), in the format of a contact group, was held Monday evening, through video-conferencing in a bid to boost coordination among member states in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The summit, themed “United against COVID-19,” was initiated by Azerbaijani President, Ilham Aliyev, the current chairman of NAM.
In his opening speech, President Aliyev gave an insight into what the Azerbaijani government had done to curb the spread of the pandemic.
“We took immediate and necessary preventive action,” said the president, adding that, the measures include the closure of schools, prohibition of mass gatherings, and the imposition of a nationwide lock-down and social distancing.
The Azerbaijani leader also affirmed Azerbaijan’s readiness to share its experience with other Non-Aligned Movement member states.
In this context, Aliyev said Azerbaijan was allocating five million U.S. dollars, in a donation to the World Health Organisation, to help the neediest NAM member states from Africa, Asia and Latin America.
President of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, reiterated the UN’s commitment to finding solutions to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a video message, the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, hailed the role of the Non-Aligned Movement, in shaping global solidarity. He also stressed the importance of addressing the socioeconomic consequences of COVID-19.
Director-General of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, affirmed WHO’s support for the Non-Aligned Movement and its member states, in their fight against the deadly virus. He noted the significance of uniting against COVID-19, adding that, no country, regardless of its size, resources, and financial means, can fight the pandemic alone.
Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, said, African countries were ready for cooperation in the fight against the virus. He commended China and Cuba for their role in supporting African countries’ response. “I would like to highlight support provided by China and Cuba. They supplied us with medical equipment, which was delivered to African countries.”
The virtual summit, which featured NAM heads of state and government, ended with the adoption of a declaration, in which member countries expressed full support to the UN chief’s plans and initiatives to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. They also called on member states of the United Nations, to “enhance their cooperation at the national, regional and international levels, to confront and combat this scourge.”
NAM comprises 120 countries from Asia, Africa and Latin America. The organisation’s 18th summit took place in Azerbaijan last Oct, which saw the country take over the presidency of the movement from Venezuela, for a three-year term from 2019 to 2022.– NNN-BERNAMA