<span style="color: #222222;">Afghanistan and Maldives today pledged to contribute USD 1.2 million to the SAARC Corona Emergency Fund proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help combat the fast-spreading COVID-19 pandemic in the region. Mr Modi Proposed an initial offer of USD 10 million from India. </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />'' Spokesman for the President of Afghanistan Sediq Sediqqi said, the Afghan Government believed in joint collaboration and strengthening partnership to fight the rapidly-spreading Coronavirus pandemic. Mr Sediqqi said, in a tweet, that the Afghan Government has just approved a contribution of USD One million to the COVID-19 Emergency Fund. </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />'' Earlier, Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid said, the country will join the initiative to tackle the challenges posed by the Coronavirus pandemic. He said,  Maldives Government joins the initiative and pledge USD 2,00,000 to address issues emanating from COVID-19.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />'' Nepal and Bhutan yesterday pledged nearly USD One million and USD 1,00,000 respectively to the SAARC Corona Emergency Fund.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />'' Founded in 1985, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is a regional inter-governmental organization and geopolitical union of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.</span><br />''