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In speeches at a virtual G20 summit on Saturday, several speakers emphasized the need to work together globally on the crisis.
21:54 pm, November 21, 2020
The presidents of China and Russia and top EU officials have offered developing countries access to corona vaccines. In speeches at a virtual G20 summit on Saturday, several speakers emphasized the need to work together globally on the crisis. “To contain the pandemic, access to vaccination must be possible and affordable for all countries. The funds promised so far are not enough,” said German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The goal of the international campaign is to distribute two billion doses of vaccines by the end of 2021. “Almost five billion dollars have already been raised for this initiative. Germany is contributing more than 500 million euros,” Merkel said. The Chancellor also called for the World Health Organization (WHO) to be strengthened in a sustainable way. “We need reliable financing, better cooperation, more independence,” he said.
Trump accuses proximity to China
At the G20 summit, it is still uncertain whether the strengthening of the WHO will appear in the final joint statement, as the United States left the WHO under the presidency of Donald Trump. Trump, who is also participating in the digital conference, accuses the organization of being too close to China.
King Salman of Saudi Arabia made a similar statement. As host of the summit, he cautioned that developing countries must have enough affordable vaccines. According to participants, US President Donald Trump praised the US approach to the crown crisis and said American companies Moderna and Pfizer had developed vaccines. He did not mention Pfizer’s German partner, Biontech.
Virtual summit
The two-day meeting of the heads of state and government of the major industrial and emerging countries will only take place virtually this time due to the crown crisis. The main themes are the fight against the pandemic, the associated economic recession and climate change. Trump met, online, for the first time with other heads of government such as Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has already congratulated Joe Biden on winning the US presidential election.
Chinese President Xi He also called for international cooperation to facilitate international travel in the crown crisis. China will present a proposal on how travelers with digital health codes could prove negative. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin He offered the Sputnik V vaccine developed in his country and highlighted that the researchers were in the process of developing a second and third corona vaccine. Merkel Y French President Emmanuel Macron in turn, he called for increased financial support for the existing international Covax initiative, which is also supposed to make corona vaccines available to developing countries.
Fair distribution required
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, called on the G20 states to ensure a “fair distribution” of corona vaccines around the world. This is the prerequisite for containing the pandemic and for a faster recovery in the world economy. The G20 countries, which represent two-thirds of the world’s population and 80 percent of the world economy, have a special responsibility, he said, according to the speech distributed by the WHO.
Excerpts from a draft of the final statement state that the group will do everything possible to contain the pandemic and protect lives, jobs and income. At the same time, the 20 industrialized and emerging countries warn that the global economic recovery will remain “lopsided, highly uncertain” and that it is subject to “greater downside risks.” Some poorer countries may need more extensive debt relief. The pandemic hits the weakest in society hardest.
The presidents of international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank also participate in the deliberations.
Jailer for journalists
On the sidelines of the summit, the organization criticized Reporters Without Borders, host Saudi Arabia is one of the “most successful journalist jailers” in the world. The kingdom restricts freedom of the press like almost no other country. There are currently 34 journalists jailed for their work there. The French organization also referred to the brutal murder of anti-government journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018. Saudi Arabia is repeatedly criticized for human rights violations.
