Press Release
The Government of Spain provided support of medical equipment and supplies to the Government of Nepal this afternoon. His Excellency Mr. Magdy Marinez Soliman, Director of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), handed over the materials to Hon. Mr. Hridayesh Tripathi, Minister for Health and Population, at a brief ceremony held at the Tribhuvan International Airport.
In a meeting that ensued, the Hon. Minister for Health and Population thanked the Spanish Government for the generous support of life-saving materials, which would help address the crisis caused by the surge of COVID-19 cases. Her Excellency Dawa Futi Sherpa, Ambassador of Nepal to Spain, and senior officials of the Ministry of Health and Population and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were present on the occasion.
The Spanish delegation called on Mr. Bharat Raj Paudyal, Foreign Secretary, later this afternoon. During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on bilateral relations, international cooperation and post-pandemic economic recovery, among others. Foreign Secretary Paudyal stated that Spain’s timely support reflects the profound Nepal-Spain friendship. Director Soliman, conveying Spain’s solidarity to Nepal’s fight against the pandemic, hoped that the support would be helpful for treatment of the affected people.
The support received today is in response to the request of the Government of Nepal to the Spanish Government, communicated both bilaterally and through the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism, for supporting Nepal with vaccines, medicines, equipments and supplies related to COVID-19.
The items arrived in a chartered flight sent by the Government of Spain include 144,000 sets of rapid antigen test kit, 10 units of oxygen concentrator, 144,000 units of FFP2 mask, 50 units of oxygen cylinder and 15 sets of ventilator.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Singh Durbar, Kathmandu
20 May 2021