BAKU, Azerbaijan, Apr.17
By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:
Kazakhstan will send 5,000 tons of flour to Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan each as humanitarian aid amid coronavirus pandemic, Trend reports with reference to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Humanitarian aid is a commonly accepted international practice aimed at providing mutual support to members of the world community. Many countries are currently providing various types of assistance to enhance global capabilities to combat and overcome the global Covid-19 pandemic. Kazakhstan is also actively participating in this endeavor,” the ministry said.
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, in an effort to provide economic support to the country’s neighbors amid the fight against the pandemic, has taken a decision to provide humanitarian assistance to Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. This includes 5,000 tons of Kazakhstan’s flour for each country worth more than $3 million.
The decision was made following the official appeals of the Kyrgyz and Tajik sides to ensure uninterrupted supply of food to the population, the ministry said.
The goods will arrive in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in the nearest future.
In a telephone conversation with Tokayev, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon expressed his gratitude for the humanitarian assistance and for supporting the Tajik people during these challenging times. He also expressed his gratitude for the assistance in the evacuation of Tajik citizens to their homeland, and in the transit of goods through the territory of Kazakhstan.
In turn, Kyrgyz side expressed sincere gratitude to Kazakhstan for the decision to provide humanitarian assistance.
“Kazakhstan, as a responsible member of the international community, is actively contributing to combating the global coronavirus pandemic and continues to provide the necessary humanitarian aid to partner countries. Kazakhstan was one of the first states to provide partnership support to China in February amid the COVID-19 pandemic, carrying out several deliveries of medical protective equipment,” the ministry said.
The ministry noted that overall, the provision of humanitarian aid is an important area of Kazakhstan’s foreign policy.
On March 15, 2020, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym Jomart Tokayev signed a decree introducing an emergency state in Kazakhstan due to the coronavirus outbreak, which came in force from 08:00 (GMT +6) on March 16 till 08:00 April 15, 2020.
On Apr. 14, 2020, by a decree of Kazakhstan's president, the emergency state period in Kazakhstan was extended till May 1, 2020.
The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kazakhstan has reached 1,480. The first two cases of coronavirus infection were detected in Kazakhstan among those who arrived in Almaty city from Germany on March 13, 2020.
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