Finland’s top diplomat Pekka Haavisto has called on international fora to intensify the efforts in their united struggle against COVID-19 infection, Associated Press said.
The Finnish foreign minister gave a speech at the TRT World Forum 2020’s panel discussion. The section “New Realities and Interstate Relations After COVID-19” became the central platform this year. Besides Finland, Pakistani and Turkish counterparts took a part in the discussions.
Pekka Haavisto stressed that every crisis brings out opportunities, and 2020 became the time to unite as the international community needs each other to fight the pandemic.
When the Finnish top diplomat was asked about the difficulties and challenges in containing the novel virus in the EU, Pekka Haavisto said the initial days resulted in panic but cooperation helped turn it around.
The EU and international fora should unite in the fight against corona
Finland’s foreign minister noted that every individual has the right to be protected from the infection, that is why international cooperation means a lot. Amid the corona crisis, all global actors should jointly devise an action plan to end the pandemic, and mitigate its impact.
Saying that Europe welcomed refugees from many countries and endeavoured to ensure their rights, he said the 27-member union attaches importance to the security of its citizens along with refugees.
As Pekka underlined, the lessons to be learned from the COVID-19 spread could contribute to peace and prosperity around the globe.
