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EU announces $16.4 billion package to help poor countries fight coronavirus

EU announces $16.4 billion package to help poor countries fight coronavirus

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The European Union(EU) on Tuesday announced a $16.4 billion package to help poor countries around the world to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Also Read: Sweden reports over 100 deaths in one day amid 'soft' approach to combat coronavirus

European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen said the aid money would help countries with weak healthcare systems tackle the impact of coronavirus and will also help in long-term economic growth.

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Earlier, head of the Eurogroup of eurozone finance ministers had said they would need "a bold response" to fight the COVID-19 outbreak in the continent.

"We all know this is not time for business as usual policies. We must show our citizens that Europe, protects them," Mario Centeno, Portugal's finance minister said, adding,""to make a clear commitment for a coordinated and sizable recovery plan".

However, Germany and the Netherlands said they wanted a cautious approch to using the eurozone's existing bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism.

Italy, France and Spain has been imploring Germany, Austria and the Netherlands for common debt instruments to absorb the shock caused by COVID-19.

"Eurobonds represent a serious response tailored to the crisis we are living through," Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said even as several nothern countries in the EU feared it would involve sharing of sovereign debts saddiling the taxpayers for the missteps of sourthern countries within the group.

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