EU, Canada Say Humanitarian Exceptions To Sanctions Can Keep Up Global COVID-19 Response

EU, Canada Say Humanitarian Exceptions to Sanctions Can Keep Up Global COVID-19 Response

The European Union and Canada are committed to reinforcing the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including by endorsing humanitarian exceptions to sanctions as a means to deliver assistance to the most vulnerable populations, according to a joint statement by the Canadian foreign minister and the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy on Tuesday

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th April, 2020) The European Union and Canada are committed to reinforcing the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including by endorsing humanitarian exceptions to sanctions as a means to deliver assistance to the most vulnerable populations, according to a joint statement by the Canadian foreign minister and the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy on Tuesday.

"The EU and Canada recall that both the UN and our own autonomous sanctions regimes provide for humanitarian exceptions; the application of these exceptions should enable humanitarian assistance to reach the most vulnerable populations," the statement read, as published on the EU External Action website.

The EU's and Canada's top diplomats pointed out the commitment of their respective countries to reinforcing the global COVID-19 response, specifically by providing support to international organizations and NGOs, as well as developing countries. According to the statement, Canada has announced over 160 million Canadian Dollars ($115 million) in direct support of global efforts and the EU has allotted 15.6 billion Euros ($17 billion) to help its "partner countries" to handle COVID-19.

Additionally, the two countries are committed to keeping the cross-border flow of goods, especially critical medical supplies, unhindered throughout the COVID-19 crisis and are pressing the international community to concur, Canada's Francois-Philippe Champagne and the EU's Josep Borrell said.

"We are reviewing our own emergency measures and are pressing the international community to maintain open and connected supply chains to facilitate the flow of essential goods, especially medical equipment to combat the pandemic," the joint statement read.

According to the statement, the EU and Canada are also cooperating in fighting misinformation about the coronavirus and both eagerly invest in international collaborative research for developing COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics.

Canada and the EU are also cooperating to keep the cross-border movement of one another's citizens unhindered during the COVID-19 evacuation, the statement said. It includes facilitating transit via Canadian and EU airports, providing access to spare capacity on their repatriation flights and advocating for the maintenance of commercial air traffic between Europe and North America.