Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hugh Todd on Monday urged international financial institutions to further increase aid to vulnerable developing states in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
The minister was at the time addressing the virtual European Union 27 and Latin American and Caribbean (EU27-LAC) Informal Ministerial Meeting held under the theme: “Tackling Covid 19 through Medical Cooperation and regional and global health initiatives.” The meeting was held to engage in dialogue and formulate an effective bi-regional agenda, to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, which has claimed 1.6 million lives worldwide.
According to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement, Todd, on behalf of the Government of Guyana, expressed his gratitude to the EU for its assistance and support to address the socio-economic consequences of COVID-19 especially in the area of health, water, and sanitation. “I wish to signal my Government’s continued commitment to this vital partnership of the EU-LAC mechanism.” He added, “My Government has also taken note, with appreciation, of the assistance provided to the Caribbean region by the EU through the grant of 8 million euros (US$8.6 million) to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) to help in the fight against the outbreak, strengthen health security in the Region.”
Also acknowledged was the support received from multilateral and regional organisations and the work undertaken and led by the World Health Organisation, the Pan-American Health Organisation, and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), “Without which the public health environment in our countries would have been much worse,” he said.
However, the minister pointed out that the pandemic has highlighted “myriad” vulnerabilities affecting developing states, resulting in these countries having to divert already scarce resources towards the emergency response. He urged the participants saying, “It is for this reason that we continue to advocate for greater access to financing from the International Financial Institutions for the building of more resilient economies.”
Guyana too, Todd noted, was also compelled to redirect scarce financial resources to strengthen the local healthcare infrastructure, including the sourcing of adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) to enable the safe delivery of health-related services, while implementing a cohesive socio-economic response.
The minister referred to the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, which he felt “conveyed an important message of unity, whilst reaffirming the commitment of states to international cooperation and multilateralism, as collectively we search for an effective global response to the pandemic.” He also confirmed Guyana’s commitment to international efforts to effectively combat COVID-19 and took the opportunity to inform that Guyana is among the 92 countries eligible for vaccine coverage under COVAX, an initiative which involves the World Health Organization (WHO), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the Vaccine Alliance (GAVI). However, he did offer the hope that the criteria in determining access to coverage could be widened to the benefit of other developing states, “including those deemed ‘middle income’ economies.”
Todd articulated the view that equitable access to, and sharing of vaccines, therapeutics and other tools, will aid the world in its recovery, adding, “Guyana applauds global initiatives being undertaken in this regard, and places emphasis on them, since they will ensure the protection and safeguarding of our most valuable resource, our people.”
In his closing remarks, the Foreign Minister that the move towards recovery must involve the forgetting of initial challenges. He acknowledged that COVID-19 has set-back the nation’s development prospects, and heightened its vulnerabilities. He emphasised the importance “that the concerns consistently raised on scientific, technological advancement and development, climate change, access to concessional financing, treatment of debt, unilateral blacklisting, access to medical equipment, as well as supplies and treatment, remain high priority to be addressed by all.”
The virtual meeting was attended by High Representative of the European Union, Josep Borrell Fontelles; Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany, Heiko Maas and other diplomats and Ministers, the release added.
