Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Opinion
  • Columns
  • Op-Ed
  • Reader's Corner
  • Editorial

International governments must stop fighting, start cooperating on coronavirus pandemic

by Hakkı Öcal

Mar 29, 2020 - 3:51 pm GMT+3
Yellow cabs line up on an empty 42nd Street waiting for fares outside Grand Central Terminal in New York, Wednesday, March 25, 2020. For the millions of Americans living under some form of lockdown to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, not knowing when the restrictions will end is a major source of anxiety. (AP Photo)
Yellow cabs line up on an empty 42nd Street waiting for fares outside Grand Central Terminal in New York, Wednesday, March 25, 2020. For the millions of Americans living under some form of lockdown to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, not knowing when the restrictions will end is a major source of anxiety. (AP Photo)
by Hakkı Öcal Mar 29, 2020 3:51 pm
RECOMMENDED
Supporters of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan celebrate on the day of the second round of the presidential election, in Ankara, Türkiye, May 28, 2023. (Reuters Photo)

Path of Turkish politics in new era amid crisis in opposition

turkish-elections

The Chinese bureaucratic dictatorship may be lying, as they have been doing on almost every issue in their goal of surpassing the U.S. in world leadership. The more Chinese President Xi Jinping promises to be a responsible member of the international community, the more lies come from the Chinese bureaucracy. This might be the case when they say there are no new cases of COVID-19 in China. In his efforts to be recognized as a reputable international leader, Xi needs only one thing- success fighting an international calamity.

As the first responder to the new coronavirus, he could have shown the ability to coordinate a global struggle against it. Other nations, Iran and Italy, for instance, could have learned from China's experiences. Instead, the Chinese government is trying to do this with the sale of rapid test kits and by providing documents about their progress fighting the virus. The point in all these efforts is to make China shine as a global coordinator during a global catastrophe. The only problem in their scheme is that what the Chinese government says is not being authenticated by an independent media, because it has expelled international reporters.

As a result, the U.S media continues to play the blame game, internally and externally. The major American newspapers and networks, still thinking that this is an international and national political game, failed to call attention to the failure at the G-20 summit. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and the U.N. Relief Chief Mark Lowcock called for united action to fight against the coronavirus.

The U.N. launched the Global Humanitarian Response Plan while the U.S. was busy putting together their historic, and equally useless, $2 trillion stimulus package. Some researchers estimate that the federal government may need to provide up to $1.5 trillion to businesses that employ 500 or fewer people if the coronavirus emergency lasts three months. Putting a one-time $1,200 payment into everyone's pocket was a waste of money according to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Instead, he says, more funds should have been provided to the states. Also, some economists argue that a much larger amount than the stimulus plan provides is needed. The U.S. president, invoking his Korean War-era authority to order U.S. manufacturers what to produce, is desperately making ventilators needed to keep the COVID-19 victims alive. If he keeps the current ratio of survivors to the infected, he will claim victory against the invisible enemy that he calls “the Chinese virus.”

On the other hand, the U.N.’s $2 billion plan for “the most vulnerable countries” is going to be another failure, since it is just a drop in the bucket. These nations are not even reporting the number of infected or dead.

As Erdoğan said of the G-20 during the online summit, “We will only win this battle through solidarity.” World leaders, and the media, must leave the individualistic posturing and infighting within and among the countries aside to create that solidarity. The members of the European Parliament keep calling for a unified EU response to the crisis. Yet, not only the parliament, but the entire EU bureaucracy seems to be on a virus vacation. Italy screams for help, and only the Russian Federation comes to the rescue, while the German government’s strong-arm tactic is to reroute the much needed ventilators Italy ordered to Germany. Had the international organization that Erdoğan suggested been realized, there would be a surplus of ventilators manufactured in a plethora of countries with a transfer of technology and investment.

Unfortunately, even the most dangerous medical scourge cannot tame humanity.

About the author
Hakkı Öcal is an award-winning journalist. He currently serves as academic at Ibn Haldun University.
RECOMMENDED
Supporters of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan celebrate on the day of the second round of the presidential election, in Ankara, Türkiye, May 28, 2023. (Reuters Photo)

Path of Turkish politics in new era amid crisis in opposition

turkish-elections
  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Mar 30, 2020 7:13 pm
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    pandemic covid-19 outbreak coronavirus us-china virus g20 summit
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    A fragment of the statue of Pan, the Greek god of shepherds and flocks in Greek mythology, discovered in Saraçhane Archaeology Park, Istanbul, Türkiye, June 1, 2023. (DHA Photo)

    Excavations in Istanbul unearth statue of Greek deity Pan

    pan
    A man walks while smoke rises above buildings after aerial bombardment, during clashes between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum North, Sudan, May 1, 2023. (Reuters File Photo)

    Sudan's paramilitary forces take over Khartoum museum

    SUDAN

    President Erdoğan announces members of Türkiye's new cabinet

    RECEP-TAYYİP-ERDOĞAN

    Türkiye's top intelligence chief Fidan becomes foreign minister

    HAKAN-FİDAN
    No Image
    Aftermath and continuing forest fires in Turkey’s Antalya, Muğla
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021