MApN specialists on mission to Alabama, as PM Orban says US, Romania have strong strategic partnership

Romania's Prime Minister Ludovic Orban on Monday wished success to a specialist team from the country's National Defence Ministry (MApN) who are going on a mission to the US state of Alabama to offer support to local governments in the fight against COVID-19, emphasising that between the United States and Romania there is a "solid" strategic partnership that generates common actions in all fields of activity. "There is a team of 15 doctors, nurses, and CBRN specialists who carry out a 14-day mission in the state of Alabama, obviously in the spirit of solidarity and co-operation between the United States and Romania. A mission which goal, on the one hand, is to be with doctors in the United States, and on the other hand also to see very clearly how the medical teams in the United States are working in the fight against COVID. I wish our mission success and I am using this opportunity again to convey a firm message: between the United States and Romania there is a solid strategic partnership that generates common actions in all fields of activity," Orban said at Military Base 90, upon the departure of the specialist team. Also attending the departure ceremony were National Defence Minister Nicolae Ciuca, and the US ambassador in Bucharest Adrian Zuckerman. Zuckerman said in his turn that the partnership between the US and Romania "has never been stronger." "This Romanian mission to support the American people and their efforts to combat the COVID-19 crisis is yet another example of our countries' special relationship. The delegation to the United States, consisting of a medical team and a radiological, biological and chemical decontamination team, the delegation will be hosted by the Alabama National Guard and Montgomery Alabama," Zuckerman said. The American official added that the Romanian CBRN specialists will have the opportunity to share with the Alabama National Guard their experience with decontamination of land, personnel and equipment, acquired in various cities in Romania, "improving both countries' abilities to more efficiently fight the COVID pandemic." "The Romanian team and the Alabama National Guard team will also take this opportunity to review the emergency responses needed for the prevention and limitation of the effects of a chemical, biological or nuclear incident or event," added Zuckerman. He said the Romanian medical team will have the opportunity to receive information from the American side about the fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic. He added that the Romanian military doctors have contributed to the saving of many lives by the way they ensured the proper management and operation of civilian hospitals in Focsani, Suceava and Deva and also mentioned the Romanian participation in a support mission in Moldova. Zuckerman thanked all the people involved in the preparation of the Romanian mission to the US. AGERPRES (RO - author: Daniel Florea, editor: Mihai Simionescu; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Rodica State)