Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa Monday thanked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative to combat COVIDー19 coronavirus with cooperation among SAARC Nations and offered Sri Lanka’s fullest support.

“I thank PM Narendra Modi for his initiative to combat COVIDー19 with cooperation among SAARC Nations. The discussion was fruitful and constructive with many great ideas being shared and initiated. Sri Lanka will extend fullest support and thank the member nations for their solidarity,” the President said in a Twitter message.

The Indian Premier yesterday held a video conference with the leaders of all eight SAARC nations- India, Pakistan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Maldives, and Bhutan to exchange their views and share experiences in fighting the COVID-19 virus which has been classified by the World Health Organization as a global pandemic that has killed more than 6,000 people globally.

Prime Minister Modi in his opening remarks said although the South Asian region, home to nearly one-fifth of world population, has listed fewer than 150 cases, the SAARC nations need to remain vigilant.

“As developing countries, all of us have significant challenges in terms of access to healthcare facilities. Our people-to-people ties are ancient, and our societies are deeply inter-connected. Therefore, we must all prepare together, we must all act together, and we must all succeed together,” he said.

Sharing India’s experience of combating the spread of the virus so far, Prime Minister Modi said it would be most valuable for all of the countries to share their perspectives as the situation is still unknown and cannot be predicted predict with certainty how it will unfold despite best efforts.
Courtesy: Colombo Page