Coronavirus: EU grants €75m aid to Algeria’s health sector

The European Union Wednesday said it provided Algeria with €75 million to support the North African country in its struggle to tackle the growing number of patients of novel coronavirus disease, TSA reports.

Oliver Varhelyi, the European Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, said he expressed in a phone call with the Algerian Foreign Minister the EU’s solidarity and commitment to support Algeria in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, and to help it meet its urgent needs.

Algeria is one of the hardest hit countries in Africa with overall infection toll reaching 1,572 and 205 fatalities, according to the health ministry.

The gas-rich African country is facing hard moment after oil price crash. Last month, the cabinet agreed to slash by 30 per cent the national budget and to shelve non-urgent projects.