Jordanian King expresses gratitude to UAE for virus help

AMMAN - Jordan's King Abdullah II praised the United Arab Emirates for its ongoing support during the coronavirus pandemic, stressing the deep-rooted ties between the two countries.

In a phone call with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Wednesday, the leaders discussed joint efforts to counter the COVID-19 respiratory disease that has gripped the globe.

“At the beginning, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the leader and my dear friend in the United Arab Emirates, he got in touch with me and asked what could he do to help.” said the King in a television interview.

The leaders stressed the importance of maintaining coordination between the two countries on all issues, including the humanitarian and economic impact of the pandemic, according to a Royal Court statement.

The King also emphasised Jordan’s readiness to provide any assistance needed by the people of the UAE and other nations.

“Many individuals and countries have helped us as we have in turn been helping them,” the King said.

“Mother Nature gave us a big kick up the backside. And are we smart enough as- as a race and as a people to understand that we've got to get it right and- and do we now serve humanity in the right way to be able to make sure that everybody is looked after,” he added.

The UAE has shown exemplary generosity during the pandemic, having so far sent about 260 tonnes of medical supplies to more than 24 countries, the equivalent of assisting 260,000 health workers worldwide.

"The UAE has dedicated itself to working as an active partner and active participant in the international community in light of the global efforts to combat the COVID-19 virus," UAE Ambassador to South Africa, Mahsh Saeed Al Hamili, told the Emirates News Agency (WAM).

Emirati aid has extended to Iran, Serbia, Croatia, Afghanistan, China, Brazil, Malaysia, Ukraine, Cyprus, Mauritania, Colombia, Bulgaria, Somalia, Pakistan and more.

On March 16, the UAE sent two aid planes carrying medical supplies and relief equipment to rival Iran.

It was the second such trip made by a medical cargo plane from the UAE to Iran in a few days, preceded by a batch on March 3 carrying 7.5 tonnes of medical supplies in cooperation with the World Health Organization.

Jordan, meanwhile, has begun easing its very stringent lockdown measures in several southern provinces where no new cases of the virus have been detected, as the number of new infections have begun to wane.

On Wednesday, Jordan said it had registered seven new coronavirus cases, bringing its total to 435.

The number of recoveries stood at 315 while the death toll remained at seven.

According to the health ministry, Jordan has done some 30,000 tests to date.