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US Coronavirus Aid to Azerbaijan Reaches $5 Million

By Gunay Hajiyeva August 25, 2020

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Disinfection of the premises intended for passengers at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport / AZAL Press Service

Azerbaijan is set to receive the next portion of financial aid from the U.S. government as part of Washington’s efforts to strengthen the global response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The office of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Azerbaijan announced on Monday that the agency would provide an additional $1 million to help Azerbaijan address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the national economy.

“USAID’s Private Sector Activity will use this funding to provide advisory services to the Government of Azerbaijan and technical assistance to small and medium-sized agriculture and agritourism enterprises to help them succeed through the challenges presented by the pandemic,” reads a statement published to the agency’s official Facebook page.

The financial assistance comes on the heels of a recent decision of the U.S. government to allocate additional funds to more than 120 countries fighting the deadly coronavirus. The Department of State announced on August 21 that the government of Azerbaijan will receive $1 million from the Economic Support Fund (ESF). The amount is aimed at supporting advisory services and technical assistance to small- and medium-sized enterprises in Azerbaijan.

Besides, more than $0.4 million is allocated in the Migration and Refugee Assistance humanitarian assistance program to help vulnerable migrants, displaced people, and host communities alleviate the negative outcomes of the pandemic on their social welfare.

The overall amount of U.S. financial aid to Azerbaijan since the outbreak of COVID-19 stands now at over $5 million, including the funds provided in March and May. It includes $3 million in health assistance that is used to prepare laboratory systems, increase the expertise of technical experts for response and preparedness, maintain risk-communications, and more.

As of today, Azerbaijan has confirmed a total of 35,559 COVID-19 infection cases since the detection of the first case reported in February. Recoveries and fatalities stand respectively at 33,190 and 521. The number of coronavirus tests conducted in the country is around 885,300.

Officials at the Management Union of Medical Territorial Units in Azerbaijan (TABIB) reported that there are currently 1,848 active COVID-19 patients in the country. Intensive care departments house 161 patients, while 20 critically ill patients are connected to artificial respiration.