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Azerbaijan allocates $5m in aid to coronavirus-hit Iran

11 March 2020 15:25 (UTC+04:00)
Azerbaijan allocates $5m in aid to coronavirus-hit Iran

By Ofeliya Afandiyeva

Azerbaijan has allocated $5 million in humanitarian aid to its southern neighbor Iran as the country is battling the rapidly spreading coronavirus.

The government ordered the allocation of these funds from the reserve fund of Azerbaijan’s state budget for 2020.

“There are friendly and good neighborly relations between Azerbaijan and Iran. The relevant ministries and government agencies of both countries work closely to prevent the spread of the COVİD-19," the Cabinet of Ministers told local media.

In the meantime, the Azerbaijani government has exempted medical supplies from custom duty in a bid to fight the spread of coronavirus.

Thus, shoe covers, sterile and non-sterile gloves and medical masks (for surgical operation or medical procedure) and respirators exported to the country have been exempted from import customs duty until June 1 of the current year. The decision was made in a bid to meet the needs of the population and medical institutions in the necessary medical supplies at affordable prices and to replenish resources for a number of medical means.

To this end, the government made amendment to the "Commodity nomenclature of Azerbaijan’s foreign economic activity, rates of import customs duties and rates of export customs duties," the official website of Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers reported.

As it was informed earlier, the Cabinet of Ministers adopted “Activity Plan related to prevention of the spread of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection in the Azerbaijan Republic”

In addition, Operational Headquarters has been set up by the relevant government agencies under the Cabinet of Ministers to prevent the risk of coronavirus infection in the territory of Azerbaijan and to promptly implement preventive and urgent measures.

Azerbaijan's official structures have also set up quarantine centers in the country's districts, which would allow to react faster to the possible outbreak due to joint borders. Azerbaijan shares border with Iran, where coronavirus is currently spreading rapidly.

Earlier, President Aliyev allocated 10 million manats [$5.8m] to prevent the spread of the virus in the country.

Azerbaijan recently closed its borders with Iran and stopped air flights to this country. It also annulled the entry of Iranian ships to its seaports.

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