QATAR PLEDGES $10M FOR WHO
QATAR has pledged $10 million to the World Health Organization (WHO) to support research on testing equipment, treatment and vaccine for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani announced on Saturday his government’s financial contribution to WHO’s initiative to fight Covid-19 pandemic.
He said the amount was in addition to Doha’s $20-million contribution to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI).
Al-Thani made the pledge during his participation in a Covid-19 commitments campaign held through video conference by nonprofit organization Global Citizen.
He said Qatar was proud to support ‘Global Goal: Unite for Our Future’ campaign. He thanked the European Commission and to Global Citizen for partnering on the campaign.
Al- Thani said the pandemic was not just testing the healthcare systems, educational systems, and economies around the world, but “also testing human principles and the ability to respond quickly by show solidarity across borders.”
He added that the scaling up of international support and political commitment was needed now, more than ever, to ensure access to Covid-19 tests, treatments and vaccines for all.
Qatar also participated Wednesday in the ministerial conference to launch a global declaration on the digital response to the Covid- 19 pandemic, entitled “Bridging the Digital Divides: The Digital Response to Corona virus Pandemic.”
During the conference, Qatar State Minister for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi said, “While the consequences of coronavirus pandemic affects all aspects of our lives, finding ways that ensure the continuation of education for more than 90 percent of the students affected by school closure due to this pandemic constitutes one of the most critical challenges at present.”
“No doubt that the Global Declaration, which we are launching today constitutes an important foundation for facing the challenges imposed by this global pandemic,” he continued.
“Protecting and enhancing the right to education comes foremost in the priorities of the State of Qatar’s policy. Concerned institutions
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani. were able to utilize technology in developing education and keeping pace with the international developments,” he said.
Al Muraikhi said the Ministry of Education and Higher Education has established a distance education and learning mechanism and activated electronic platforms for all students “to deal with these exceptional conditions imposed by the pandemic.”
He said Qatar continues its efforts to find suitable solutions to enhance its capacity to adapt to crises and ensure the availability of effective and uninterrupted government services while maintaining social distancing by using electronic platforms.
Al Muraikhi stressed that enhancing cyber security and providing a safe electronic environment is on top of Qatar’s priorities. He noted that the Ministry of Transport and Communications has launched several initiatives to protect the basic systems and infrastructure of information technology and communications in the country.
“No doubt that cybercrimes which the State of Qatar was one of their victims represent a threat to international peace and security and a violation of the international law,” he said.
“Thus, all countries have a duty to uphold their responsibilities towards combating these crimes and holding their perpetrators accountable in accordance with the international law,” the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs said.
Qatar would continue its efforts to strengthen the positive aspect of using innovative technologies and digital transformation in such a way as to create a people-centered society and enable such society to achieve all economic, social, environmental and other aspects of the desired objectives of sustainable development, he said.