SAUDI ARABIA

First batch of Saudi coronavirus aid delivered to UK's NHS

Saudi Gazette report LONDON — Saudi Arabia's Embassy in the United Kingdom handed over the first batch of the Kingdom's gift to the British government to curb the spread of coronavirus. The first batch of medical aid received by the UK’s National Health Service Center (NHS) includes personal protection kits. The aid comes in implementation of the directives from Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman and in continuation of the unique relationship between Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom. Last month, the UK lauded Saudi Arabia after the Kingdom donated hundreds of thousands of medical gowns to the NHS. UK's Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Dominic Raab took to Twitter to commend the generous aid from Saudi Arabia. The British minister tweeted: Very grateful to Saudi Arabia for the generous donation of hundreds of thousands of medical gowns to our NHS. Britain and Saudi Arabia will continue to work together to tackle this global pandemic. Raab's assertion that the two countries will join forces to 'tackle this global pandemic' and his fulsome praise stems from the fact that Saudi Arabia has already assisted many other countries and organizations to develop and sustain their medical infrastructure during this pandemic. This aid to the UK comes after Saudi Arabia, host of this year's G20, also led a recent Global Response Pledging Marathon, along with the European Union, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Norway. Saudi Arabia has already pledged $500 million to international organizations to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Of this, the country will allocate $150 million to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and Innovation (CEPI), $150 million to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations (GAVI), and $200 million to other international and regional health organizations and programs. Saudi Arabia had, earlier, agreed to contribute $25 million to support childhood immunization programs through GAVI. The multi-year pledge from the Kingdom contributes toward efforts to immunize children in Yemen.