New Delhi: Nepal and Bhutan have pitched in for India-announced Covid-19 emergency fund for SAARC countries. Kathmandu has announced Nepali 10 crore rupees for the fund while Bhutan announced USD 100,000 for it.
Nepali PM KP Sharma Oli announced it during his address to the nation on the COVID epidemic on Friday evening. He said, "I want to inform you that Nepal will contribute Rs 10 crores in this fund set up with the objective to provide requisite help to the SAARC nations."
The Bhutan foreign office in a statement said, "The Royal Government of Bhutan has welcomed the establishment of the Emergency Fund and has decided to make an initial contribution of USD 100,000."
Recognising the urgent need for "collective efforts to combat such crisis", Bhutan government said, it "would like to reassure its full support and cooperation to do everything possible in close collaboration with all Member States to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made the announcement for the formation of the fund during the SAARC video conference that took place on March 15 for a joint strategy to deal with the epidemic. India announced a contribution of USD 10 million.
All SAARC leaders were present in the meet except Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan who had sent a junior member--special advisor on Health Dr Zafar Mirza to represent him.
