On 26 February 2020, SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov met with Deputy Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Zsuzsanna Jakab on the sidelines of the 82nd session of the Inland Transport Committee of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. The Secretary-General praised the steps taken by the WHO and personally the Director-General of the Organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, to counter the new coronavirus outbreak.
Mr Norov noted that the WHO's announcement of an international public health emergency has undoubtedly contributed to the mobilisation of the world community's capacity of national and international institutions to combat COVID-19. He emphasised that China has all the necessary resources, including financial, economic, industrial, scientific, technical, and intellectual resources to combat the coronavirus. Every day, efforts are increasing and well-coordinated work is underway to curb the epidemic. Close contact has been established between China and the relevant agencies of the SCO member states to develop a vaccine and medicines.
The Secretary-General said the SCO member states have provided humanitarian assistance to the Chinese people. A special statement was adopted confirming the willingness to provide China with appropriate assistance, and the SCO member states also called on the international community to strengthen collaboration within the WHO to ensure public health safety at the regional and international levels.
Mr Norov said the SCO member states closely cooperate in public healthcare and the joint fight against epidemic threats. At the Bishkek SCO Summit in June 2019, the heads
of the SCO member states agreed to continue cooperating in such areas as building the capacity to counteract the spread of infectious and non-infectious diseases, responding to healthcare emergencies, exchanging medical personnel, telemedicine and promoting cooperation between medical institutions of the SCO member states.
At the SCO Heads of Government Council Meeting (Tashkent, 2 November 2019), a willingness was expressed to further increase efforts to ensure the sanitary and epidemiological welfare of the population, biological safety, counteracting the circulation of counterfeit medicines, resistance to antimicrobials, prevention and control of infectious and non-infectious diseases, public healthcare, and developing medical travel.
In conclusion, the SCO Secretary-General noted the advisability of establishing closer cooperation with the WHO, including studying the issue of the possible formalisation of relations.
In turn, Ms Jakab expressed gratitude for the high assessment of the organisation's activities and noted that at the end of January this year, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had a meeting in Beijing with Chinese President Xi Jinping, during which a determination was expressed to bring the spread of the coronavirus under control. The WHO leader welcomed China's responsible attitude towards the epidemic, the extensive preventive measures taken by the country's leadership, and the transparency in all aspects, including reliable and complete information for the population and the world community.
Ms Jakab also emphasised the importance of cooperation between the two organisations and confirmed her willingness to formalise relations and develop a joint action plan.