DHAKA, June 28, 2020 (BSS) – Bangladesh has announced to contribute 50,000 US dollar to ‘Global Citizen’ fund for supporting development and deploy COVID-19 vaccines in an equitable manner as well as rebuild communities impacted by the pandemic in a fair and just way.
“I am pleased to announce a contribution of USD 50,000 for supporting development and availability of safe and effective vaccine, more importantly equitable access to health care and to combat that this proportionate impact of COVID-19 only marginalize communities,” said foreign minister Dr A K Abdul Momen.
The Bangladesh foreign minister was virtually addressing the ‘Global Goal: Unite for Our Future – the Summit’ organised by European Commission and Global Citizen on Saturday to create an additional funding to develop and deploy coronavirus vaccines, tests and treatments.
Momen said Bangladesh has always attached importance to the principles of equity, fairness and national ownership.
“This commitment guides our support for this resource mobilization effort towards promoting equitable access to services for those most in need anywhere in the world so no one is left behind,” he said.
Momen said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina remains firm and focused on the front of this unforeseen crisis and “We shall continue to remain true to our International obligations while anticipating responsible conduct from our relevant partners in mitigating this accidental shock”.
Saying that super-cyclone AMPHAN due to global warming created additional burden for Bangladesh in the backdrop of pandemic, he urged the global leadership to take adequate measures to evade impending climate change disaster.
The foreign minister also said more than a million of forcibly displaced Rohingya that Bangladesh is hosting in its territory “has certainly added to our difficulty”.
Appreciating the role of Global Citizen’s and European Commission over creating the fund, Momen said the initiative is line with the spirit of “cooperation and partnership not isolation” that Bangladesh has been advocating in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
European Commission president Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen hosted the ‘Global Goal: Unite for Our Future – the Summit’ that included interventions by world leaders as well as international advocates, artists and activists.
The ‘Global Goal: Unite For Our Future’ campaign was launched by the European Commission and the international advocacy organisation Global Citizen on May 28 and so far mobilized 6.9 billion US dollar – $1.5 Billion in cash grants and $5.4 billion in loans and guarantees – to combat the disproportionate impact of covid-19 on vulnerable and disadvantaged communities