Despite Pakistan's antics, Nepal backs India's role in SAARC's coronavirus response

Even as Pakistan renewed its attempt to undermine India’s role in mobilizing the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) against the coronavirus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has received support from his Nepalese counterpart K P Sharma Oli for coordinating the South Asian bloc’s response to the pandemic.The prime ministers of India and Nepal discussed the COVID-19 pandemic over phone on Friday.

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Oli lauded Modi for taking the initiative in coordinating the SAARC’s response to the pandemic, according to a press-release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office in New Delhi.

Nepal currently holds the chair of the SAARC and its endorsement for India’s role in coordinating the eight-nation bloc’s response to the COVID-19 is significant as it came just a day after Pakistan demanded that all initiatives by the bloc to contain the pandemic in South Asian nations must be spearheaded by the secretariat of the organisation.

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“The degree of seriousness of each nation can be gauged by its behaviour,” the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India said on Friday, tacitly slamming Pakistan for its move to create roadblocks for the SAARC’s endeavour to save people in South Asia from the virus and to minimize the social and economic impact of the pandemic and the curbs imposed to contain it.

“We discussed the prevailing situation due to COVID-19. I appreciate the determination of people of Nepal to fight this challenge. We stand in solidarity with Nepal in our common fight against COVID-19,” Modi, himself, posted on Twitter after his talks with Oli over the phone.

Oli too tweeted about his talks with Modi. He also thanked New Delhi for providing Kathmandu with medicines and other medical equipment necessary to deal with the pandemic in Nepal.

The two leaders also discussed maintaining the supply of the essentials from India to Nepal.

The SAARC, which came into existence in 1985, has its secretariat in Kathmandu and is headed by a Secretary General nominated by a member-state. Each of the eight member-states gets to nominate a person for the office of the Secretary General in turn. Each Secretary General has a fixed term of three years in the office.

Islamabad on Thursday conveyed to the SAARC Secretary General E R Weerakoon that all proceeds of the COVID-19 Emergency Fund must be administered by the secretariat and the modalities of managing it should be finalised through consultations with all the members in accordance with the charter of the organisation.

Also Read: Pakistan again plays spoilsport as India, other SAARC nations fight coronavirus

The SAARC COVID-19 Emergency Fund was set up after Modi on March 15 had a video-conference with almost all other leaders of the South Asian bloc. Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan did not join, but his Special Advisor Health Affairs), Dr Zafar Mirza, represented him. India initiated the fund with a voluntary contribution of $10 million and was followed by Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Afghanistan, which contributed altogether $8.43 million more. After much dilly-dallying, Pakistan on Thursday pledged $3 million to the fund, but with riders attached.

The fund was set up to help any SAARC nation to meet the emergency expenditure to deal with the pandemic in its territory.

“It is for each SAARC Member State to decide on the timing, manner and implementation of their SAARC COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund commitments,” Anurag Srivastava, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India, said, adding: “Where India is concerned, the commitment made by the Prime Minister is today in an advanced stage of implementation.”

Srivastava noted that India had already extended assistance in material and services to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Pakistan on Wednesday also boycotted a video-conference the SAARC trade officials had to discuss ways to minimize the impact of the curbs imposed to contain the pandemic on regional commerce. Aisha Farooqui, a spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan Government, said that Islamabad had decided to stay away from the virtual meeting as it was not organized by the SAARC secretariat.