Mangala Samaraweera calls on the SL Government to back a global push for a review on COVID-19 pandemic

COLOMBO (News 1st): More than 100 countries, including 50 African nations and all European Union member states, are backing a resolution calling for an independent probe into the Coronavirus pandemic. At least 116 countries have now signed up as co-sponsors of the draft motion calling for an investigation. Britain, Canada, India, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand and Russia have also indicated their support. While the Coronavirus motion does not single-out China by name, it has angered officials with Beijing threatening economic countermeasures against Australia, which first pushed for an investigation. Former Finance Minister, Mangala Samaraweera has called on the Sri Lankan Government to back a global push for a review of the response to COVID-19 pandemic. Global health leaders are set to call for an independent review into the international response to the Covid-19 pandemic at a WHO meeting this week. Taking onto Twitter, Mangala Samaraweera said, "Sri Lanka must back 62-nation coalition's push for probe into Covid-19 origin." He further went onto note, "Even India and Russia are backing the coalition led by the European Union and Australia to seek an independent investigation into the Coronavirus outbreak." Representatives from 194 of the World Health Organization's member states will meet virtually for the 73rd annual World Health Assembly. The European Union is expected to lead an international call, alongside countries including the UK, Australia and New Zealand, for an inquiry into how the global pandemic has been handled and what lessons can be learned. The World Health Organization is likely to come under a lot of pressure over its handling of the pandemic at the meeting.