UN to consider possibility of providing assistance to Kyrgyzstan - MFA

Bishkek, Aug. 5, 2020 / Kabar /. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic Chingiz Aidarbekov held an online meeting with Head of the UN COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund Jens Wandel, the Foreign Ministry reported. The meeting was also attended by the UN Resident Coordinator in the Kyrgyz Republic Ozonnia Ozhielo, the report said. During the conversation, Aidarbekov welcomed the establishment of the UN COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund, which is designed to provide support to low- and middle-income countries in the fight against the pandemic and its consequences. Noting a sharp increase in the number of citizens infected with coronavirus, he drew attention to such urgent tasks as stabilizing the epidemiological situation, fulfilling social obligations, and restoring the economy. In this regard, he stressed the importance of assistance on these issues by the UN COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund. The foreign minister noted the success of the interaction of the Kyrgyz Republic with the UN system in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. In particular, he stated that in the development of request of President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sooronbay Jeenbekov to the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in April of this year the financial assistance was promptly delivered in May 2020. Wandel commended the efforts of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic in countering the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the country and supported the need to develop international cooperation in this area. Sharing the concern over the evolving situation, he expressed his readiness to continue to work together to support measures aimed at combating the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, Jens Wandel said that in the near future it is planned to send a request to the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator in the Kyrgyz Republic to form a list of the country's needs to consider the possibility of providing assistance.