Non-Aligned Movement Task Force in response to COVID-19 held its first Meeting

Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Task Force in response to COVID-19 held its first meeting via videoconference on 9 July 2020. The Meeting was attended by the representatives of a number of NAM Member States and high-level officials from the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Task Force was established pursuant to the Declaration of the Summit-level Meeting of the NAM Contact Group in response to COVID-19 held on 4 May 2020 under the chairmanship of H.E. Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Chair of the NAM.

The delegation of the Republic of Azerbaijan, in its capacity as the chairing delegation of the Task Force, presented, at the meeting, brief information about the developments since Online Summit-level Meeting of the NAM Contact Group in response to COVID-19 held on 4 May 2020 concerning the formation of Task Force and design of the database on needs and requirements of NAM Member States in response to the pandemic. The delegation stressed that the submissions of NAM Member States received up to the Task Force meeting have been presented, through the Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan in Geneva, to the WHO for subsequent measures.

Later, the delegation of Azerbaijan demonstrated the Database and software developed by Azerbaijan for automatic incorporation of the national submissions of NAM Member States on their needs and requirements to the consolidated Database.

Amb. Michele Boccoz, WHO Director General’s Envoy for Multilateral Affairs delivered greeting message of the WHO Director General to the Task Force Members and expressed gratitude to the President of Azerbaijan for his continuous support to the global efforts in addressing Covid-19 and in particular to the activities of the WHO.

Mr. Paul Molinaro, Chief of Operations and Logistics at the WHO informed the Task Force Members about the current state of affairs in WHO support to the states affected by the pandemic. He informed about the ongoing and planned shipment of medical supply to the NAM Member States and emphasized that the consolidated Database of needs and requirements of NAM Member States in response to Covid-19 will be very useful reference point for the WHO.

Delegations of the NAM Member States attending the Task Force meeting expressed their gratitude to Azerbaijani chairmanship for developing the Database and informed the meeting participants about the national anti-Covid measures undertaken in their respective countries.

Task Force Members agreed to meet on a regular basis to review the developments in the Database and coordinate their activities with the WHO and international donor community.

July 13 , 2020