The Turkic Council Secretary General Baghdad Amreyev has praised the cooperation, resilience and solidarity among the member countries of the Turkic Council in fighting the coronavirus pandemic. Stressing that the international community should exert coordinated and determined efforts in the fight against COVID-19, he emphasized that the global community must undertake united action against this global crisis. He also noted that the current cooperation mechanism has enabled the Member States to take concerted action.
Amreyev stated that the Turkic Council Member States, namely Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Uzbekistan have demonstrated their resolve to tackle the challenges due to deadly COVID-19 pandemic.
Since the beginning of global spread of the pandemic, Leaders of the Turkic World have been in close communication with each other and instructed relevant ministries and institutions to take necessary measures such as arranging safe evacuation of their citizens, closing borders, halting international flights, sharing experience and information as well as providing medical assistance and supply.
As part of these joint efforts and cooperation, Turkey was the first country to send test kits to Azerbaijan and helping this brotherly country to reach the necessary capabilities for diagnosing the first patients suffering from this illness.
Moreover Turkey agreed the Kyrgyz-Turkish Friendship Hospital in Bishkek, which was jointly managed by Turkey and Kyrgyz Republic, to be utilized by the Ministry of Health of Kyrgyz Republic in combating COVID-19 pandemic.
Additionally, at the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan, humanitarian aid was sent to neighboring Kyrgyzstan to alleviate the suffering of this brotherly nation.
In a similar fashion the Government of Kazakhstan assisted with the airborne evacuation of Kyrgyz citizens from China and India.
Furthermore, the Turkish private sector was also instrumental in terms of extending support to Kazakhstan. Ankara based Turkish company โYDA Groupโ has delivered a considerable aid package, containing medical materials, face masks, safety glasses and gloves that were subsequently transferred to various hospitals in Kazakhstan last week.
Amreyev underlined his firm belief in sustained determination and close cooperation among the Member States. He is of the firm conviction that the Turkic World will stand in solidarity with the rest of the international community in this global struggle against COVID-19.
He said that Turkic Leaders are resolved to maintain this high level consultation regarding this issue and their joint efforts to overcome this period of unprecedented challenges by taking any additional measure that could be required.
The Author, Eli Hadzhieva, is a freelance journalist ad regular contributor to EU Political Report