Qatar joins hands with four countries in fight against COVID-19, launches global forum
Since the start of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Qatar has made it abundantly clear that the fight against this infectious disease requires global solidarity and combined efforts.
The country has not only urged the international community to cooperate and work toward combatting the virus, on different occasions, but also led by example by coming to the aid of several other nations heavily impacted by the global crisis.
The country’s tireless efforts have garnered international recognition, including praise from the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesusas as well as some United Nations representatives.
Complementing its ongoing efforts in the fight against COVID-19, Qatar yesterday joined hands with four other countries including Canada, Denmark, South Korea, and Sierra Leone, to launch a global forum, the Group of Friends of Solidarity for Global Health Security.
The Forum was introduced at a virtual event at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
Qatar, South Korea, Canada, Denmark and Sierra Leone launched the Group of Friends of Solidarity for Global Health Security to combat the Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19), in a virtual event to launch the group at the United Nations headquarters in New York. #QNA
— Qatar News Agency (@QNAEnglish) May 12, 2020
In a video message, His Excellency the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani expressed Qatar's delight in participating with the Republic of Korea, Canada, Sierra Leone, and Denmark, to merge efforts under this significant initiative.
HE the Minister reiterated Qatar's keenness to work together with the Group of Friends of Solidarity for Global Health Security "to make it a major platform for exchanging views on how to effectively respond to COVID-19 through various forms of multilateral cooperation," according to a press statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).
The group will study emerging health issues of global importance, devise innovative methods to tackle such issues, and also focus on developing a targeted strategy among UN member states.
Qatar is committed to exchange best practices and hopes to consolidate collective response and encourage solidarity among member states, HE the Minister underlined.
"The battle with the COVID-19 pandemic is one the world cannot afford to lose, and will not win unless everyone works together and rebuild better," HE Sheikh Mohamed said.
The foreign ministers of South Korea, Canada, Denmark, and Sierra Leone also took part in launching the initiative.
The group ambitions to serve as an unofficial platform for interested UN member states to exchange views on how to effectively respond to the current pandemic and other challenges to global health security.
Through different forms of multilateral cooperation, the group will also highlight social and economic problems resulting from the COVID-19 situation.
"The group works towards focusing on the major threats posed by the epidemic to international peace and security and calls on the United Nations to play a central role in stimulating and coordinating a strong global response to the epidemic while emphasizing the urgent need for action-oriented international cooperation among all member states of the United Nations," the MOFA statement added.
Meanwhile, health authorities in Qatar continue to implement the highest level of monitoring, detection, and management procedures to deal with the virus, and the public has been advised to follow certain measures to safeguard their health.
For any queries, or concerns related to COVID-19 in Qatar, the public can contact a 24/7 hotline set up by the Ministry. The hotline number is 16000 and is toll-free.
Here's everything you need to know about the virus, including ways to protect yourself.
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