July 11, 2021
UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday asked the Group of 20 (G20) largest economies to address Covid-19 vaccine gap, provide debt relief to developing economies and finance climate action.
Guterres spoke virtually to the third meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors, which was being held in Venice, Italy. Friday's meeting was held behind closed doors, said Stephane Dujarric, Guterres' chief spokesman.
The secretary-general reiterated his call for a global vaccination plan to at least double the production of vaccines and to ensure equitable distribution, using Covax as the platform, said Dujarric.
Guterres said many developing countries are teetering on the verge of debt default. He called on the G20 to expand the Debt Service Suspension Initiative and Common Framework for Debt Treatment to include vulnerable middle-income countries and small island developing states.
On climate change, Guterres said he was deeply concerned over the lack of progress on public climate financing and once again called on the G20 to mobilize $100 billion annually for developing countries as agreed to in 2009.
Guterres told the ministers that to restore trust in multilateralism, there is a need to deliver on vaccines, economic recovery and climate finance, said the spokesman.
(Sources: The Manila Times)
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