By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The European Union EU , today donated the sum of N21 billion (50 million Euros) to support the Federal Government in it’s efforts at controlling the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the country.
President Muhammadu Buhari who received the EU delegation to the country, led by Ambassador Ketil Karlsen, said that the donation would go a long way in supporting Nigeria’s efforts at controlling and containing the virus to prevent community spread, as well as revitalise the national health care systems.
Buhari lauded the EU on the recent launch of the “Team Europe” package to support countries in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and its consequences, noting that the intervention, which is a collaboration between EU, its member states, other financial institutions such as the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, would go a long way in ensuring control and containment of the impact of the pandemic on countries.
Ambassador Karlsen in his remark said the donation, channelled through the UN COVID-19 basket fund , so far, is the largest single contribution to the response in Nigeria and the largest support that EU is providing anywhere outside Europe.
He also announced that the Union was mobilising other sources of funding, noting that they have already paid 1.2 million Euros to UNICEF, and goods purchased through that funding are expected in the country soon.
