Coronavirus response: The United States delivers critical financial aid to Afghanistan, Colombia and Mongolia in response to global pandemic
The United States is providing over 30 million USD of financial assistance to Afghanistan, Colombia and Mongolia in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United States Department of State.
This amount includes 15.6 million USD to Afghanistan in support to surveillance, laboratories improvements, case-management, infection prevention and control, community engagement, and technical assistance, as well as 5 million USD of assistance for communities displaced as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak. It also includes 12.6 million USD to help the Colombian authorities efforts, including surveillance, water and sanitation supplies provision, case-management, and support to local authorities and local communities; and 1.2 million USD to assist Mongolia in preparing laboratory systems, activating case-finding and event-based surveillance, and supporting technical experts for response and preparedness.
All of three countries requested assistance through NATO’s Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC). The EADRCC is NATO’s principal disaster response mechanism. The Centre operates on a 24/7 basis, coordinating requests from NATO Allies and partners, as well as offers of assistance to cope with the consequences of major crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.