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Washington looking for ways to strengthen cooperation with Nicosia on COVID-19, US Ambassador tells CNA

LoveCyprus — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 06:12:52 +0000

The United States values its bilateral partnership with the Republic of Cyprus and looks forward to having further conversations with the government in Nicosia, as the two sides work to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, says Judith Garber, the US Ambassador to Cyprus. “We are always looking for ways in which to strengthen” our cooperation she notes.

Speaking to CNA, Ambassador Garber says that only if we work together, we will be able to come out of this crisis stronger. She also expresses hope for more bicommunal collaboration between health care workers in Cyprus, in view of the pandemic.

The US government is leading the world’s humanitarian and health assistance response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ambassador says and points to the announcement by the Secretary of State, on March 26, to proceed with an investment of nearly $274 million to this end.

The United States has not yet provided direct aid to the Republic of Cyprus, as Washington mobilizes resources for more vulnerable countries, based on a series of factors, Garber goes on. “The Republic of Cyprus, with its strong response to the COVID-19 outbreak and its excellent health care sector, is less vulnerable than other countries,” she explains.

The Ambassador notes, moreover, that Americans have provided generous support to coronavirus victims in hard-hit regions all over the world and are responding to the pandemic “with genuine human kindness, not for geopolitical gain or self-glorification.”

This funding will improve public health education, protect healthcare facilities, and increase laboratory, disease-surveillance, and rapid-response capacity, in up to 64 countries, she adds.

Asked about the way the US is assisting the Republic of Cyprus in this pandemic, Ambassador Garber notes that for decades, the United States has been the world’s largest provider of bilateral assistance in public health.

“That investment in global health security is particularly evident today in Cyprus, where the Cyprus Institute for Neurology and Genetics (CING) has been a national leader in the fight against COVID-19.  We are proud that CING was established and supported by grant funding from the US government’s Agency for International Development (USAID) in the 1990s” she notes.

She also points to more than 7,000 tests for the coronavirus, conducted by CING, giving Cyprus one of the highest per capita rates of testing in the world.

Judith Garber also notes that US support is essential to the World Health Organization’s coronavirus relief efforts.  “As of March 11, WHO had shipped personal protective gear to 57 countries.  US contributions to the WHO in 2019 exceeded $400 million, almost double the second largest contribution” she says. To date, private American citizens and US companies have donated some $1.5 billion towards fighting COVID-19 around the world, the Ambassador notes.

Moreover, she explains how US government agencies are working together to prioritize countries eligible to receive funding to address the COVID-19 outbreak.

This prioritization, she says, is based on a series of factors, including the caseload and existence of community transmission, as well as data indicating connectivity to a hotspot as is the case currently with China, Iran, Republic of Korea, Italy and Japan. Vulnerability is another factor, taking into account the unstable political situation or displaced populations.

Priority, she goes on, is also given to countries ranked as having particularly weak or fragile health systems and low scores on compliance with the international health regulations. The government also assesses whether US support can make an impact on containing or mitigating COVID-19 in a given country.

“We are working diligently to prioritize our assistance to those communities most in need” comprising mainly medical assistance and supplies, the Ambassador goes on.

She also says that the US will continue providing assistance to at-risk countries, non-governmental organizations, and multilateral institutions working on global response efforts, including with the $1.3 billion in US foreign assistance signed by President Trump on March 6. This supplemental funding will support health systems, humanitarian assistance and economic, security, and stabilization efforts, she says.

Asked about the potential to strengthen Washington’s cooperation with Nicosia, the Ambassador says that “the United States values its bilateral partnership with the Republic of Cyprus, and we are always looking for ways in which to strengthen it. We look forward to having further open and transparent conversations with your government as we work to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.”

She underlines the need to continue the cooperation and share factual information about this disease rapidly and transparently.

“US innovators are rushing to combat the new coronavirus and develop a vaccine, and new treatment options are being tested in the United States and Asia. I know that universities and research institutions in Cyprus and throughout the EU are working on ways to expand testing, to explore new treatments, and to protect citizens from the pandemic. It is only by all of us working together that we will be able to minimize the harm from this virus and come out of this crisis stronger” she says.

Moreover, Ambassador Garber says that the level of international cooperation, between the United States and allies in Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa has been excellent. Furthermore, she notes that President Trump recently called President Xi of China and said the US and China are working together on fighting this crisis for our planet.

“I expect that we will see an increase in calls for international cooperation in the coming weeks, and the United States stands ready to help where we can,” she notes.

US Ambassador hopes to see more bicommunal collaboration between health care workers
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The US Ambassador also wishes to see more collaboration between health care workers in the two communities. Asked if the pandemic provides an opportunity for more cooperation across Cyprus, Ambassador Garber welcomes the expressed determination of President Anastasiades and Mustafa Akinci to battle this virus together, as well as the efforts of the members of the Bicommunal Technical Committee on Health.

“The health care professionals of Cyprus are outstanding and have all of our admiration and gratitude. If collaboration between health care workers in the two communities is strengthened, then that will be a fortunate and welcome development in this otherwise difficult situation, and a worthy example of what cooperation in a reunified Cyprus could be” she says.

The United States believes that the good people of Cyprus, with their ingrained spirit of generosity and their firm sense of solidarity across the generations, will weather this storm and emerge even stronger, the US Ambassador concludes.

Source: CNA

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Cyprus sends chloroquine to Israel, respirators from Israel to the island

LoveCyprus — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 05:40:44 +0000

Cyprus Republic will be sending a quantity of chloroquine to Israel in the next days and Israel will send 50 respirators to the island.

A written statement by the Government Spokesman Kyriakos Koushos , said that President Nicos Anastasiades on Friday spoke on the phone with his Israeli counterpart Reuven Rivlin, with whom he discussed the current COVID19 pandemic.

The Spokesman said that Rivlin responded positively to Cyprus’ request for 50 respirators to be send to the island whereas the President agreed for Cyprus authorities to send a quantity of chloroquine to the neighbouring country.

Source: CNA

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China working closely with Cyprus for timely arrival of medical supplies, Ambassador Huang tells CNA

LoveCyprus — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 05:30:35 +0000

The first batch of China’s medical supplies are ready for transport to Cyprus, says the Ambassador of China to Cyprus Huang Xingyuan, and notes that the two countries are working closely to ensure their timely arrival to aid the fight against COVID -19.

Speaking to CNA, Ambassador Huang also refers to measures taken by Nicosia in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus, noting that “it is absolutely correct for Cyprus to make prevention of imported cases and death as its priority.”

The Ambassador of the People`s Republic of China also expresses confidence in the resilience of the Cypriot economy. Moreover, he says that actions currently being taken by countries around the world to fight COVID-19 are not sufficient and echoes the call of the President of China, Xi Jinping, for a collective response.

Asked about the main lessons China learned in the fight against COVID-19, Ambassador Huang lists four aspects. “First, the Communist Party of China is a party for the people and always prioritizes people`s health and safety. Herd immunity is not an option for us” he says.

Secondly, he says that China has staged a nationwide fight against COVID-19. All people were mobilized for joint prevention and control in an open, transparent and confident manner, he adds.

Third, China has responded at the fastest speed ever possible, completing specialized hospitals to tackle severe cases and building mobile cabin hospitals to cure patients with mild symptoms, the Ambassador goes on.

As a final point, he says that China has adapted response strategies as the epidemic evolves. “The whole country supported Wuhan and the economic life resumed to support epidemic control, thus creating a virtuous circle” he says.

He notes, moreover, that Chinese hospitals check and protect doctors, families stay home for self-quarantine, lockdown measures are fully obeyed and personal hygiene habits are strictly followed.

Asked about the way the experience of China may apply to Cyprus, he says that “recently the Cypriot government has been taking powerful and appropriate measures. It is absolutely correct for Cyprus to make prevention of imported cases and death as its priority.”

The Ambassador appears certain that problems shall be timely solved, including shortage of medical staff who have been partially infected, shortage of medical supplies and logistic capacity, shortage of experiences in fighting major pandemics. “China`s assistance has been targeted at the above problems” he says.

On another question, about the drugs in development to treat COVID-19, Ambassador Huang says that both China and the US have put vaccines to clinical tests and other countries also work on it. “When exactly vaccines go to market is a professional issue of science. But I am certain of one fact. If some countries can give up narrow mindedness and selfishness and share research results with concerted efforts, we will step closer to vaccines” he notes.

As for the social and economic impact of COVID-19, the Ambassador notes that the pandemic has been the greatest challenge and crisis facing humanity since World War II, causing major damage to the development of countries worldwide and the global economy.

Given its prevalence, complexity and global spread, we need time and concerted efforts on the global level to heal the damage of the pandemic, he goes on.

“I believe COVID-19 has a direct impact on the highly internationalized Cypriot economy. We have confidence in Cypriot economy’s resilience and quick recovery with lessons previously gained from the European debt crisis” says the Ambassador of China.

Asked if global actors are doing enough to address the crisis, Ambassador Huang replies that actions currently being taken by countries around the world to this end are not sufficient.

He notes that the issue was discussed during the G20 Extraordinary Virtual Leaders` Summit on COVID-19, adding that there have been divergences in terms of polices, speed and level of response by different countries.

Replying to a question with regard to cooperation with EU leaders, the Ambassador echoes the four proposals made by President Xi Jinping at the virtual summit: “We need to be resolute in fighting an all-out global war against the COVID -19 outbreak, make a collective response for control and treatment at the international level, support international organizations in playing their active roles, and enhance international macro-economic policy coordination.” The international community must strengthen unity and cooperation to win the fight against this common enemy of humankind, the Ambassador adds.

The Ambassador notes finally that the first batch of China’s medical supplies to Cyprus includes protective ware and masks donated by the Chinese Government, companies and sister cities. The goods are ready for transport from China to Cyprus, while China has been working closely with Cyprus to ensure its timely arrival to aid Cyprus in the fight against COVID -19, he concludes.

Source: CNA

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