- The COVID-19 pandemic has underlined the extraordinary importance of international cooperation.
- To this issue, the Global Health Summit G20 addressed the way forward in healing the world through vaccinations.
- Leaders around the globe committed to funds and vaccine donations to address the health and economic impact of the coronavirus.
The Global Health Summit was chaired by Italy Prime Minister Mario Draghi and the President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. The summit was conceived as an opportunity for the G20 and all invited leaders (virtually) to share the “lessons” learned in the current pandemic to improve responses to future health crises.
Said Draghi: “We must vaccinate the world and do it quickly. The pandemic has underlined the extraordinary importance of international cooperation. With the participants from scientists, doctors, philanthropists, and economists, we will understand what went wrong.”
The Italy PM went on to say: “I would like to thank the group of scientific experts, and in particular the organizing co-chairs, Professor Silvio Brusaferro and Professor Peter Piot. Your report has provided essential guidance for our deliberations and, in particular, for the Rome Declaration that we will present today. I would also like to thank the over 100 non-governmental and civil society organizations that took part in the consultation held in April in collaboration with Civil 20. It is essential to allow the free flow of vaccine raw materials across borders.
“The EU has exported about 200 million doses; all states must do the same. There must be a balance in exports to those poorer countries. We must lift the generalized export bans, especially in the poorest countries.
“Unfortunately, many countries cannot afford to pay for these vaccines. We also need to help low-income countries, including Africa, to produce their own vaccines.