President calls for collective SAARC effort on COVID-19

• In video conference with SAARC leaders, President says country’s economy severely affected by COVID-19 impact
• Moots regional initiative to help economies and ministerial level group to coordinate activities
• Flags-off tourism as worst-hit while exports also adversely affected
• Says election will go ahead as planned

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday recommended that leaders of countries in the SAARC region formulate a mechanism to assist each other’s economies to tide over the very difficult times caused by the onset of the coronavirus.

Speaking during a special video conference with leaders of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations, the President said that Sri Lanka’s economy has been severely affected by the global impact of COVID-19. The SAARC nations video conference was held on the initiative of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to draw up a road map to fight the challenge of COVID-19 novel coronavirus. 

“Our economy has taken a severe blow especially the tourism sector. Most of our tourists come from Italy, Germany and other European Union countries and now there is a ban on them coming here at a time our tourist industry was just recovering after the Easter Sunday attacks. Our exports are also adversely affected by this situation,” the President said.

He called for a SAARC initiative to overcome this crisis and for the setting up of a ministerial level group to share best practices and coordinate regional matters on combating the coronavirus.

The President also referred to the upcoming General Election and said the election will go ahead. “Our Parliament was dissolved on 2 March and General Election will be held on 25 April. Nominations are being accepted between 12 to 19 March and we have to take precautions by discouraging large gatherings, but the election will be held as planned,” he said.

In his address, President Rajapaksa outlined the measures taken by Sri Lanka to contain the spread of the virus and its success with the evacuation of 34 students from Wuhan in China soon after the news of the spread of COVID-19 became public. 

He also said 750 Sri Lankan students studying in universities in various provinces in China too returned to the country and were self-quarantined for 14 days under supervision and monitoring of local health authorities

He said the Government programs of disseminating information and creating awareness has been a success and people have been given guidelines to follow to minimise the impact of the virus.

So far, 18 positive cases have been identified while 12 hospitals have been designated for treatment of those suffering from the illness as well as to monitor suspected cases.