The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, announced on Friday 27 March, following a telephone conversation with the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, that they had agreed “on the urgent need to step up international cooperation and humanitarian assistance for medical purposes to the most vulnerable countries” (see EUROPE 12455/21).
According to an AFP tally, Monday 30 March at 7 a.m., more than 727,000 cases of people infected with COVID-19 and at least 36,000 deaths had been recorded in 183 countries.
“In light of the global dimension of the challenge, and building on the solidity of the transatlantic partnership, the EU and the US have the capacity to contribute significantly to international efforts to tackle the pandemic”, the High Representative said in a statement.
Mr Borrell also stressed the need for international efforts to stem the spread of the pandemic and mitigate its impact in the short and long term. “Providing accurate and transparent public information to address growing concerns about disinformation around the coronavirus” is also necessary, he said.
For his part, Mr Pompeo recalled the essential role of the US-EU relationship in the fight against coronavirus. “The transatlantic relationship is crucial for global public health and the promotion of our common interests in Libya, Syria, Venezuela and the Western Balkans”, he added on Twitter.
During their telephone conversation, the two men discussed foreign and security policy issues such as Syria, Libya, Venezuela, Iran, the peace process in Afghanistan (see EUROPE 12456/22), EU-Turkey relations and the opening of EU accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia (see EUROPE 12454/31). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)