The COVID-19 pandemic is an issue that knows no borders and it is one that transcends politics. It is the priority issue for every government on the face on the planet, Matthew Palmer, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, said on Thursday.

The United States is working together with the countries in the Western Balkans and SEE along with our partners in Europe to deliver assistance and to play our part in a global response to a global challenge,” Palmer said at an online video conference titled “Up for grabs? Disaster diplomacy and other tools of influence in Southeast Europe at the age of COVID-19, co-organised by Atlantic Council and Delphi Economic Forum.

Macedonia’s Foreign Minister also took part alongside National Security Advisor to the Greek Prime Minister, Alexandros Diakopoulos, Executive Vice President for Programs & Strategy at the Atlantic Council, Damon Wilson, and Washington DC correspondent for Kathimerini Greek daily Katerina Sokou.

The United States has put on the table immediately some three quarters of a billion dollars in assistance around the world, Palmer said in his opening speech. “Some of the money is redirected for programming in the countries of the Western Balkans and some of the money go to support some key international institutions in the fight against the pandemic.”

The US, he noted, has been and continues to be the single largest contributor to the bulk of the international institutions, including the UN System, World Bank, the IMF, and EBRD.

Palmer said the American public has offered its support, some 3 billion dollars in response to challenges of COVID-19.

Also, American companies are stepping up to contribute. In the Balkans, these include Coca Cola, Sheraton, Microsoft, IBM. There has been technical know-how, including Google, supporting the government in Macedonia in put out information websites to ensure the public is properly informed in countering disinformation, said the American diplomat.