ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has urged coordinated efforts among the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to effectively curb the COVID-19 pandemic.
While delivering a speech at the virtual meeting of SCO Council of Foreign Ministers via video-conference, convened by the Russian Federation in its capacity as current chair of SCO, FM Qureshi termed COVID-19 plague a ‘challenge of unprecedented scale,’ according to FO statement.
Besides Pakistan, the meeting was attended by Foreign Ministers of all SCO Member states, the SCO Secretary-General and Director of the Executive Committee of SCO Regional Anti-terrorist Structure.
FM Quershi said the COVID-19 crisis was a litmus test for multilateralism and urged on SCO’s effective role in this regard.
Qureshi made a number of proposals to strengthen coordination among SCO states against the plague, including regular interaction among Ministries of Health, joint research mechanisms and strengthening of SCO Hospital Alliance, said the statement.
He also emphasized the need for SCO to rebuff stigmatization and discrimination of any community in the context of coronavirus on the basis of race, religion or ethnicity.
Foreign Minister Qureshi observed that even though infections were spreading globally, Pakistan had seen relatively low fatalities. However, he stressed that ‘there was no room to let our guard down’.
Highlighting socio-economic repercussions of the health crisis, Qureshi underscored PM Imran Khan’s ‘Global Initiative on Debt Relief’ for developing countries as a mean to formulate a comprehensive multi-stakeholder plan of action to prop up economies and encourage sustainable growth.
He specifically admired China’s responsible handling of the epidemic and its leading role in assisting the international community.
On regional situation, the foreign minister welcomed the U.S.-Taliban Peace concurrence and hoped that the Afghan leadership would grab the historic chance to work out a comprehensive and inclusive political settlement.
He urged upon the international community to denounce and hold responsible for the perpetrators of state terrorism including against people under illegal occupation. He also stressed the importance of rejecting xenophobic ideologies including Islamophobia.
FM Qureshi said Pakistan considered SCO an imperative platform to foster regional cooperation for peace, security, connectivity and socio-economic development.
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