India is assisting Antigua and Barbuda with funding to the tune of US$1 million for that country’s community development projects in the context of the current situation of COVID-19 with an immediate assistance of US$150,000 for medical supplies and equipment.
In a release this week, the High Commission of India to Guyana stated that given the “extraordinary” situation relating to the COVID-19 fallout and the urgent humanitarian nature of the crisis, a request for immediate assistance was received from the beneficiary government through the UN Office for South South Cooperation (UNOSSC) for the procurement of ventilators, and other medical supplies.
In response, the assistance was extended considering the urgent nature of the request involving procurement of life-saving equipment and the proposal was jointly coordinated by the High Commission of India in Guyana and Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations in New York along with the Foreign Ministry of Antigua and Barbuda and its Permanent Mission to UN in New York.
The ‘in principle’ approval for the grant as requested by the Government of Antigua and Barbuda has been conveyed to the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC). As an update, the High Commission has learnt from the United Nations Development Programme – Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (UNDP OECS) & Barbados that procurement of medical supplies and equipment has already been completed and that the shipment will be received in about two weeks.
The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, has been interacting with a number of world leaders in connection with India’s initiatives and efforts to fight the global pandemic of COVID-19 together. PM Modi had offered Indian assistance to “friendly partner countries” with sharing its best practices in controlling and containing COVID-19 as well as to share the strategy, methods adopted and efforts taken by India in this regard.
Modi had met the CARICOM leaders in the first India-CARICOM Summit held on 25th September 2019 on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. During the meeting, he had made three offers of assistance to CARICOM countries: (i) US$14 million grant (US$1million per CARICOM member state) for quick impact community development projects in CARICOM countries; (ii) US$150 million Line of Credit (US$10 million per CARICOM member state) for CARICOM countries for solar energy and climate change related projects; and (iii) special capacity building courses, training and deputation of experts based on the needs and requirements of the CARICOM countries.
In response to the above offers of assistance by India’s Prime Minister, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda had submitted a proposal in early April for assistance and collaboration under a project entitled “Strengthening national Health capacities and reducing socio-economic and human development negative impacts of COVID-19 crisis in Antigua and Barbuda”. The project was received under India-UN Development Partnership Fund which is managed by the UN Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC).
According to the release, this project was processed under the guidelines of the Sustainable Development Goals. The UNDP will be the Implementing Agency and National Institutions of Antigua and Barbuda will be partnering in it. The modalities for implementing the project, it says, will follow the guidelines of the India-UN Development Partnership Fund.
