This weekly digest is intended to aggregate and distill key content from a broad spectrum of practice domains and organization types including key agencies/IGOs, NGOs, governments, academic and research institutions, consortia and collaborations, foundations, and commercial organizations. We also monitor a spectrum of peer-reviewed journals and general media channels. The Sentinel’s geographic scope is global/regional but selected country-level content is included. We recognize that this spectrum/scope yields an indicative and not an exhaustive product. Comments and suggestions should be directed to:
David R. Curry Editor GE2P2 Global Foundation – Governance, Evidence, Ethics, Policy, Practicedavid.r.curry@ge2p2center.net
Contents :: Week in Review [See selected posts just below] :: Key Agency/IGO/Governments Watch – Selected Updates from 30+ entities [see PDF] :: INGO/Consortia/Joint Initiatives Watch – Media Releases, Major Initiatives, Research:: Foundation/Major Donor Watch -Selected Updates :: Journal Watch – Key articles
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Spokesperson: Rupert Colville
Location: Geneva
Date: 25 May 2021
Like so many others, we are shocked by the unlawful arrest and arbitrary detention of the Belarusian journalist Roman Protasevich after the Ryanair plane on which he was travelling was forcibly diverted to the Belarus capital Minsk, apparently under false pretences and with the express purpose of capturing Mr Protasevich.
The manner, through threat of military force, in which Protasevich was abducted from the jurisdiction of another State and brought within that of Belarus was tantamount to an extraordinary rendition. Such abuse of State power against a journalist for exercising functions that are protected under international law is receiving, and deserves, the strongest condemnation.
Penalization of a journalist solely for being critical of the government can never be considered to be a necessary restriction of freedom of expression and is thus a violation of Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Equally, under human rights law, the mere act of organizing a peaceful assembly should never be criminalized under domestic laws, including counterterrorism laws, and the arrest or detention of someone as punishment for the legitimate exercise of their rights to freedom of opinion and expression and freedom of assembly, is considered arbitrary.
We fear for Roman Protasevich’s safety and wish to seek assurances that he is treated humanely and is not subjected to ill treatment or torture. His appearance on state TV last night was not reassuring, given the apparent bruising to his face, and the strong likelihood that his appearance was not voluntary, and his “confession” to serious crimes was forced. Information obtained under coercion cannot be used against Mr Protasevich in any legal proceedings. Such forced confessions are prohibited under the Convention against Torture.
We are also concerned about Mr Protasevich’s girlfriend, Sofia Sapaga, who has also reportedly been arbitrarily arrested.
In addition to the issues relating to Mr Protasevich, the forced landing of the passenger plane in Minsk terrorized passengers on board and exposed them to unnecessary danger, in violation of their human rights.
This astonishing episode constitutes a new phase in the Belarusian authorities campaign of repression against journalists and civil society in general. This arbitrary arrest is a sign of an extremely worrying escalation in the crackdown of dissenting voices, not just of journalists but also of Belarusian human rights defenders and other civil society actors, including those living abroad.
We call for the immediate release of both Roman Protasevich, and Sofia Sapega, both of whom should be allowed to continue to their intended destination in Lithuania.
The Human Rights Council this afternoon adopted a resolution on ensuring respect for international human rights law and international humanitarian law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in Israel, in which it established an international commission of inquiry to investigate violations of international humanitarian law and all alleged violations and abuses of international human rights law leading up to and since 13 April 2021, and all underlying root causes of recurrent tensions.
The resolution was adopted at the end of a one-day special session of the Human Rights Council on the “grave human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem”.
In the resolution (A/HRC/S-30/L.1), adopted by a vote of 24 in favour, 9 against and 14 abstentions, the Council decides to urgently establish an ongoing independent, international commission of inquiry, to be appointed by the President of the Human Rights Council, to investigate in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in Israel all alleged violations of international humanitarian law and all alleged violations and abuses of international human rights law leading up to and since 13 April 2021, and all underlying root causes of recurrent tensions, instability and protraction of conflict, including systematic discrimination and repression based on national, ethnic, racial or religious identity.
The Council also calls upon all relevant parties to cooperate fully with the commission of inquiry and to facilitate its access. It urges all States to refrain from transferring arms when they assess, in accordance with applicable national procedures and international obligations and standards, that there is a clear risk that such arms might be used in the commission or facilitation of serious violations or abuses of international human rights law or serious violations of international humanitarian law.
Pakistan introduced the draft resolution on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Conference. Israel and the State of Palestine spoke as a concerned countries.
Speaking in general statements or in statements before or after the vote were Austria, Germany, Russian Federation, United Kingdom, Bahamas, Mexico, Venezuela, France, Bulgaria and the Netherlands
…Speakers said people in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank needed their leaders to make courageous steps towards peace. Some speakers said that the indiscriminate barrage of rockets fired by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad into Israel were completely unacceptable. Other speakers said the Council must do three things: address the root causes of the conflict; call the situation what it was, apartheid and persecution, that is crimes against humanity; and end impunity by creating a standing mechanism – because the problems were systemic, long-lasting and would not be solved overnight. It was unconscionable that States including the United States, Germany and Italy still supplied weapons and other military assistance to the Israeli Government, despite the clear risk of serious violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law. Some speakers, expressing their full solidarity with Israel, said they refused to support any investigation or mechanism that victimised and exonerated Hamas and other violent organizations. There had been an explosion of anti-Semitism in past weeks, the result of the anti-Semitic vilification of Israel, to which the Council provided cover.
Speaking were Faysal Mekadad, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Syria; Sultan bin Saad Al-muraikhi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Qatar; Sameh Shoukry, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Egypt; and Dato’ Kamarudin Jaffar, Deputy Foreign Minister of Malaysia.
The following countries also took the floor: Argentina, France, Senegal, Nepal, Bulgaria, Argentina, Netherlands, Philippines, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Jordan, Costa Rica, Djibouti, Mali, Brunei Darussalam, Ireland, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Ecuador, Iraq, Chile, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Malta, Viet Nam, Morocco, Australia, Nigeria, Niger, Algeria, Maldives, Albania, Sovereign Order of Malta, South Africa, United Nations Relief and Works Agency, Peru, Timor-Leste, Oman, Liechtenstein, Yemen, Canada, Holy See, Iran, Colombia, Botswana, New Zealand, Luxembourg, Guyana, United Arab Emirates, Hungary, Sri Lanka, Paraguay, Switzerland and Angola.
The following non-governmental organizations also took the floor: International Commission of Jurists; European Union of Jewish Students; Human Rights Watch; Al-Haq, Law in the Service of Man; Defence for Children International; International Service for Human Rights; Norwegian Refugee Council; Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom; Institute for NGO Research; Ingenieurs du Monde, United Nations Watch; World Jewish Congress; Amnesty International; Caro Institute for Human Rights Studies; ADALAH, Legal Centre for Arab Minority Rights in Israel; International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists; and Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counselling.
Israel spoke in a point of order.
This was the thirtieth special session of the Human Rights Council, which was requested by 69 States, of whom 21 are Member States of the Council and 48 are Observer States…
:: Nature loss is at the heart of many societal challenges, while nature-based solutions hold the potential to address interlinked crises: The pace of species extinction, global warming, the growing number of extreme weather events and zoonotic diseases like Covid-19, have further reinforced the need to invest in sustainable action that enhances the resilience of ecosystems and addresses societal challenges, such as food security, climate change, water security, human health and enhanced resilience to disaster risk.
:: Our livelihoods depend on nature. Our collective failure to date to understand that nature underpins our global economic system, will increasingly lead to financial losses. More than half of the world’s total GDP is moderately or highly dependent on nature. Agriculture, food and beverages and construction are the largest sectors that are dependent on nature and these generate USD 8 trillion in gross value added.
:: The integrity of the Earth’s ecosystems has been significantly compromised as a result of human activity and the paradigm that has prioritised short-term economic growth. In order to ensure that humanity does not breach the safety limits of the planetary boundaries, we need a fundamental shift in mindset, transforming our relationship with nature. Currently, the majority of the essential benefits of nature have no financial market value, despite underpinning our current and future prosperity. From government policies related to procurement, taxation, trade and regulation, to the way businesses and financial institutions make decisions on investment, risk and disclosure, it is vital that we hardwire into our economic system the value of nature in a profound way.
:: Knowledge on capital expended and needed for NbS remains limited…
:: The report finds that approximately USD 133 billion/year currently flows into NbS (using 2020 as base year), with public funds making up 86 per cent and private finance 14 per cent…
:: Looking to the future, investment in NbS ought to at least triple in real terms by 2030 and increase four-fold by 2050 if the world is to meet its climate change, biodiversity and land degradation targets…
:: The compilation of data on capital investment in nature across all sectors and for all major economies has proven challenging and the estimates are highly uncertain…
:: The public sector plays a fundamental role in creating opportunities and demand for investment in NbS…
:: NbS poses an opportunity for private sector investment in pursuit of sources of revenue, to reap the benefits of increased resilience, to reduce costs and to enhance reputation and purpose..
Main Report [excerpt]
1.2 Definition of NBS [p.12]
This report uses the global standard developed by the International Union for the
Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for nature-based solutions. NbS are defined as “Actions
to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems, that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human wellbeing and biodiversity benefits”. The goal of nature-based solutions is “to support the achievement of society’s development goals and safeguard human well-being in ways that reflect cultural and societal values and enhance the resilience of ecosystems, their capacity for renewal and the provision of services; nature-based solutions are designed to address major societal challenges, such as food security, climate change, water security, human health, disaster risk, social and economic development”.
The following preliminary principles are to be considered with the NbS definition:
NbS can be implemented alone or in an integrated manner with other solutions to societal
challenges (such as technological and engineering solutions);
NbS are determined by site-specific natural and cultural contexts that include traditional,
local and scientific knowledge;
NbS produce societal benefits in a fair and equitable way in a manner that promotes
transparency and broad participation;
NbS maintain biological and cultural diversity and the ability of ecosystems to evolve over time;
NbS are applied at a landscape scale;
NbS recognize and address the trade-offs between the production of a few immediate economic benefits for development and future options for the production of the full range of ecosystem services; and
NbS are an integral part of the overall design of policies, and measures or actions, to address a specific challenge.
NbS emphasize solutions. Such solutions address the multifaceted environmental crises and broader societal challenges affecting humanity today, including climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation, human health, migration, natural hazards and human-induced disaster, food and water security and biochemical imbalances.
…We are at war with a virus. We need the logic and urgency of a war economy, to boost the capacity of our weapons. On Friday, I called on the [Group of 20] (G20) to set up a task force that brings together all countries with vaccine production capacities, the World Health Organization, the ACT-Accelerator partners and international financial institutions, able to deal with the pharmaceutical companies and other key stakeholders.
It should aim to at least double manufacturing capacity by exploring all options, from voluntary licenses and technology transfers to patent pooling and flexibility on intellectual property rights. The task force should address equitable global distribution by using the ACT‑Accelerator and its COVAX Facility. The G20 task force should be co-convened at the highest levels by the major Powers who hold most of the global supply and production capacity, together with the multilateral system. I am ready to mobilize the entire United Nations system to support this effort…
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Director-General’s opening remarks at the World Health Assembly – 24 May 2021 [Excerpt focused on COVID vaccines/vaccination] …The ongoing vaccine crisis is a scandalous inequity that is perpetuating the pandemic. More than 75% of all vaccines have been administered in just 10 countries. There is no diplomatic way to say it: a small group of countries that make and buy the majority of the world’s vaccines control the fate of the rest of the world.
The number of doses administered globally so far would have been enough to cover all health workers and older people, if they had been distributed equitably. We could have been in a much better situation.
I understand that every government has a duty to protect its own people. I understand that every government wants to vaccinate its entire population. That’s what we want too. And in time, there will be enough supply for everyone, including those at lower risk.
But right now, there is not enough supply. Countries that vaccinate children and other low-risk groups now do so at the expense of health workers and high-risk groups in other countries. That’s the reality.
At the Executive Board meeting in January, I issued a challenge to see vaccination of health workers and older people underway in all countries within the first 100 days of the year. That target was very nearly achieved. But the number of doses available to COVAX remains vastly inadequate.
COVAX works. We have shipped every single one of the 72 million doses we have been able to get our hands on so far to 125 countries and economies. But those doses are sufficient for barely 1 percent of the combined population of those countries.
So today I am calling on Member States to support a massive push to vaccinate at least 10 percent of the population of every country by September, and a “drive to December” to achieve our goal of vaccinating at least 30 percent by the end of the year. This is crucial to stop severe disease and death, keep our health workers safe and reopen our societies and economies…
“There is a choice. The world of the next 10 years can be one of greater justice, abundance and dignity. Or it can be one of conflict, insecurity and poverty. We are at a turning point.
“COVID-19 has been a truly global crisis in which we all have shouldered a burden. In many cases this has caused us to reflect on those longer injustices that have perpetuated in parts of the world where the pandemic is yet another layer of misery, instability and unrest. These inequalities have been exposed and exacerbated by the impact of the pandemic, both between and within countries. The effects will be felt on a global scale for years to come.
“The impact of a catastrophe like the COVID-19 pandemic is measured in the tragedy of individual loss and death, as well as the national and global disruption to almost every part of life. No country in the world has been untouched.
“Variants of the virus, potentially more infectious and resistant to vaccines, will continue to threaten us if they are not controlled now. Those of us who have signed this declaration represent organizations with roots in communities across the world. We work closely with those affected by conflict, disaster and famine, and know the immense challenges they face – but also of their resilience even in the worst of situations.
“In 2021, the world economy is facing the worst downturn since 1945. For some countries this will sharply increase poverty and suffering. For others it means hunger and death. The fallout from the pandemic will be with us for a long time to come. There will be a continued economic impact, with all the human suffering that brings. A generation of children, especially girls, have left school and will not return.
“The world is facing the challenge of how to reverse these devastating dynamics with health being a key part of such a response. We advocate here for ‘Health for All’, where each person’s life is valued, and every person’s right to healthcare is upheld. People not only need vaccinations – they need access to healthcare workers who are skilled and equipped to deliver adequate medical support.
“We need to build a world where each community, regardless of where they live, or who they are, has urgent access to vaccinations: not just for COVID-19, but also for the many other diseases that continue to harm and kill. As the pandemic has shown us, in our interdependent world no one is safe until everyone is safe.
“We have a choice: vaccine nationalism or human solidarity.
“Thanks to effective international action, several vaccines have been produced. The World Health Organisation, GAVI and CEPI are leading the COVAX initiative, which is currently the best effort we have to ensure that vaccines reach people around the world. However, COVAX is only intended to cover 20% of the global population– the most vulnerable in lower-income countries – by the end of 2021 and it is not yet clear if it will meet this target. Meanwhile studies show that if we focus only on vaccinating our own populations, the world risks global GDP losses of up to US$9.2 trillion (with half of that cost being incurred by high income countries) this year alone.
“But it is not just a matter of money. In order to achieve wider global vaccination, complex logistical, infrastructure and scaling issues must be addressed. The Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator is focused on providing a means to accelerate the development, manufacturing and distribution of COVID-19 diagnostic and treatment products. The ACT recognizes and aims to address the requirement for information sharing – whether about technology, intellectual property or manufacturing.
“However, more needs to be done. The sharing of information, the transfer of technology and the strengthening of manufacturing processes, to name a few, require the active involvement of States and the private sector.
“We therefore call on world leaders to: 1. Ensure equitable access to vaccines between countries by providing vaccines, sharing knowledge and expertise, and fully funding the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, which is working to provide equitable access to and implementation of COVID-19 diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.
2. Ensure equitable access to vaccines within countries by ensuring all sectors of the population are included in national distribution and vaccination programs, regardless of who they are or where they live, including stigmatized and marginalized communities for whom access to healthcare might not be straightforward.
3. Support countries financially, politically and technically to ensure that curbing COVID-19 is not a standalone goal, and instead is one important element of a broader health strategy, implemented alongside communities to bring longer-term improvements to people’s health and access to healthcare. We are committed, in our different institutions, to offering all the help we can to support actions by communities and authorities.
“It is time for decisive leadership. Countries and organizations across the world have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to address global inequality and reverse some of the fallout from the past year. In doing so, they will bring hope not only for the poorest in the world, but for us all.”
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The Most Reverend Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross Bishop Ivan M Abrahams, General Secretary of the World Methodist Council HE Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, Ecumenical Patriarchate The Reverend Dr Chris Ferguson, General Secretary of the World Communion of Reformed Churches Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Henrietta H. Fore, Executive Director, UNICEF The Reverend Dr Martin Junge, General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation Dr Azza Karam, Secretary-General, Religions for Peace Francesco Rocca, President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Rabbi David Rosen, Co-President, Religions for Peace Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, The Grand Imam of al-Azhar HE Cardinal Peter Turkson, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, Rome
Weekly operational update on COVID-19 – 24 May 2021 In this edition of the COVID-19 Weekly Operational Update, highlights of country-level actions and WHO support to countries include: :: Medical supplies reach Indian states and Union Territories :: Egypt and Philippines receive additional shipments of COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX Facility :: Strengthening quality assurance and biosafety for SARS-CoV-2 sample collection sites in Azerbaijan COVID-19 posing unprecedented threat on war-torn Yemen :: Online training on vaccination to frontline workers in Uruguay :: WHO EPI-WIN hosted discussion for youth networks on mental health and how ten years of :: Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) strengthened capacities to support the COVID-19 response :: Regular updates on WHO’s resource requirements and funds received to support countries in implementing the COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan 2021, WHO/PAHO procurement of critical supplies, and implementation of the Unity Studies
Weekly epidemiological update on COVID-19 – 25 May 2021 Overview For the second successive week, the number of COVID-19 cases globally remains at the highest levels since the beginning of the pandemic with over 5.7 million new weekly cases, following nine consecutive weeks of increases. New deaths continue to increase for the seventh consecutive week, with over 93 000 deaths. The South-East Asia Region continues to report marked increases in both case and death incidences. In this edition, special focus updates are provided on: :: World Hand Hygiene Day, 5 May 2021 :: WHO partnership with SeroTracker — synthesizing “real-time” seroprevalence data to support global pandemic response :: SARS-CoV-2 variants
POLIO Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
Polio this week as of26 May 2021 :: Come and join the virtual launch of the Polio Eradication Strategy 2022-2026, at an online event on Thursday 10 June 2021 (at 2pm, Central European Summer Time). More information, including registration details, are available here, where you will find the ‘Save the Date’. :: Understanding gender-related barriers to immunization is essential to achieve polio eradication. But what is gender? What is the difference between gender and sex? How do sex and gender influence health, including immunization? This newly released Q&A examines the links between gender and health, highlighting WHO’s ongoing work to address gender-related barriers to healthcare, advance gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in all their diversity, and achieve health for all.
Summary of new WPV and cVDPV viruses this week (AFP cases and ES positives): :: Pakistan: one cVDPV2 positive environmental sample :: Burkina Faso: one cVDPV2 case :: Congo: one cVDPV2 case :: DR Congo: five cVDPV2 cases :: Guinea: one cVDPV2 case :: Liberia: two cVDPV2 positive environmental samples :: Madagascar: three cVDPV1 cases and one cVDPV1 positive environmental sample :: Mali: one cVDPV2 case :: Tajikistan: two cVDPV2 positive environmental samples
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WHO/OCHA Emergencies
Editor’s Note: Continuing with this edition, we include information about the last apparent update evident on the WHO emergency country webpages, recognizing almost universal and significant interims since last update regardless of the level of the emergency listed.
Democratic Republic of the Congo– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 3 May 2021] Mozambique floods– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 3 November 2020] Nigeria– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 29 Jun 2020] Somalia– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 13 July 2020] South Sudan– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 4 February 2020] Syrian Arab Republic– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 24 October 2020] Yemen– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 30 June 2020]
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WHO Grade 2 Emergencies [to 29 May 2021] Afghanistan– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 5 July 2020] Angola– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 16 March 2021] Burundi– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 04 July 2019] Burkina Faso– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 21 mai 2021] Cameroon– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 22 August 2019] Central African Republic– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 12 June 2018] Ethiopia– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 22 August 2019] Iran floods 2019– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 2 March 2020] Iraq– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 12 May 2021 Libya– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 7 October 2019] Malawi– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 22 April 2021 Measles in Europe– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 26-04-2021] MERS-CoV– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 8 July 2019] Mozambique– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 03 November 2020] Myanmar– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 29 March 2021] Niger – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 16 avril 2021] occupied Palestinian territory– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 4 September 2019] HIV in Pakistan– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 27 August 2019] Sao Tome and Principe Necrotizing Cellulitis (2017)– No new digest announcements Sudan– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 24 June 2020] Ukraine– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 1 May 2019] Zimbabwe– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 10 May 2019]
Chad– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 30 June 2018] Djibouti– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 25 novembre 2020] Mali– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 3 May 2017] Namibia – viral hepatitis– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 20 July 2018] Tanzania– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 21 October 2019]
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UN OCHA – Current Emergencies Current Corporate Emergencies Ethiopia Ethiopia – Tigray Region Humanitarian Update Situation Report, 20 May 2021 HIGHLIGHTS :: Humanitarian needs continue to be grave, exceeding to current capacities. :: While some areas were accessible, others remain hard to reach due to movement restrictions and ongoing conflict. :: An alarming number of cases of acute malnutrition among children has been reported. :: Only about 2 per cent of the targeted 720,000 school children have access to learning opportunities. :: About US$200 million is needed to respond to humanitarian needs until the end of July.
This weekly digest is intended to aggregate and distill key content from a broad spectrum of practice domains and organization types including key agencies/IGOs, NGOs, governments, academic and research institutions, consortia and collaborations, foundations, and commercial organizations. We also monitor a spectrum of peer-reviewed journals and general media channels. The Sentinel’s geographic scope is global/regional but selected country-level content is included. We recognize that this spectrum/scope yields an indicative and not an exhaustive product. Comments and suggestions should be directed to:
David R. Curry Editor GE2P2 Global Foundation – Governance, Evidence, Ethics, Policy, Practicedavid.r.curry@ge2p2center.net
Contents :: Week in Review [See selected posts just below] :: Key Agency/IGO/Governments Watch – Selected Updates from 30+ entities [see PDF] :: INGO/Consortia/Joint Initiatives Watch – Media Releases, Major Initiatives, Research:: Foundation/Major Donor Watch -Selected Updates :: Journal Watch – Key articles
IDMC’s Global Report on Internal Displacement is the official repository of data and analysis on internal displacement. This year’s GRID discusses the relationship between climate change, disasters and displacement, and presents good practices from across the globe in advancing policy, displacement risk reduction and effective response.
Key Messages [Editor’s text bolding]
1 The number of people worldwide living in internal displacement has reached a record 55 million as
of 31 December 2020. More than 85 per cent have fled conflict and violence. Around seven million have been uprooted by disasters but given the incomplete data this is likely to be a significant underestimate.
2 Around 40.5 million new displacements were recorded in 2020, the highest figure in ten years. Disasters triggered over three times more displacements than conflict and violence. These figures were recorded despite the Covid-19 pandemic, when movement restrictions obstructed data collection and fear of infection discouraged people from seeking emergency shelter.
3 Measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 significantly impeded humanitarian efforts globally. The pandemic also heightened internally displaced people’s (IDPs) needs and vulnerabilities, while delaying the search for durable solutions.
4 The UN secretary general called for a global ceasefire to unite against the virus, but conflict continued unabated, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East and North Africa. Persistent conflict continued to force people to flee in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria and Afghanistan, while escalating violence and the expansion of extremist groups in Ethiopia, Mozambique and Burkina Faso fuelled some of the world’s fastest growing displacement crises.
5 Weather-related events were responsible for 98 per cent of all disaster displacement recorded in 2020. Intense cyclones, monsoon rains and floods hit highly exposed and densely populated areas in South Asia and East Asia and the Pacific, including China, the Philippines and Bangladesh. The Atlantic hurricane season was the most active on record, and extended rainy seasons across the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa uprooted millions more.
6 The convergence of conflict and disasters led to many people being displaced for a second or even third time, increasing and prolonging their vulnerability. Many of those who fled flooding in Yemen had already been uprooted at least once by conflict. Drought in Somalia drove people to flee from rural to urban areas where they are now at greater risk of eviction and attacks by armed groups.
7 Internal displacement constitutes a significant economic burden for individuals, communities and economies. The global cost of one year of displacement was nearly $20.5 billion in 2020, a figure that covers support for IDPs’ housing, education, health and security needs, and accounts for their loss of income.
8 Persistent misconceptions surround disaster displacement, with serious implications for people, policy and responses. They include that disasters are natural, when human factors have a major role in how they play out; that disaster displacement is short-term, when in reality it often becomes protracted; that climate change will drive mass migration across borders when actually much displacement is small-scale and localised; and that small events are of little concern, when in fact they undermine people’s lives and threaten local development gains.
9 Rising temperatures are increasing the frequency and intensity of weather-related hazards, but climate change is not the only factor that drives displacement risk. A range of social and economic drivers must be addressed in the face of ever more powerful storms and devastating floods.
10 There have been significant advances in the development of national and regional policies on disaster displacement and climate-related migration, and global attention on the issue is growing. A number of countries now recognise the issue. Implementation, and assessing progress in doing so, are the next priorities.
11 When the impacts of climate change, slow-onset environmental change or unsustainable land use make an area uninhabitable, returning after a disaster is not an option. Two alternatives for those displaced are local integration or planned relocation. These solutions require strong local governance and decentralised interventions that include the perspectives of those at risk and support community-led livelihood initiatives.
12 There is an increasing need to connect humanitarian, peacebuilding and sustainable development efforts to prevent and respond to displacement in a changing climate. Disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation and mitigation are key, but more flexible and predictable financing is required.
13 Filling the data gaps is essential if we are to understand how displacement impedes progress on the sustainable development agenda. To paint a clear picture, however, we cannot act at the global level
alone. Disasters and climate impacts are essentially local phenomena, so local authorities and national governments have a key role to play.
Part 1 – Internal displacement in 2020 presents updated data and analysis of internal displacement at the global level. Data and contextual updates are included in the regional overviews and country spotlights.
Part 2 – Internal displacement in a changing climate discusses the importance of sound evidence and promising approaches to addressing disaster displacement and reducing the negative impacts of climate change on IDPs.
The Climate and Environment Charter for Humanitarian Organizations is now opened for signature by all humanitarian organizations, following its adoption by the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The Charter intends to galvanize and steer collective action in response to the dramatic impacts of the climate and environmental crises, in particular for those who will feel their impacts the most.
The Charter is the result of a broad consultative process across the humanitarian sector led by the ICRC and IFRC, with the support of an advisory committee bringing together humanitarian, climate and environment experts. Hundreds of humanitarian professionals and organizations, including UN agencies, international NGOs, RCRC National Societies, and local and national organizations have been consulted on the content of the document and provided feedback on the Charter.
The Charter includes seven high-level commitments to guide the sector’s response to the climate and environmental crises.
First among them is a commitment to step up the humanitarian response to growing needs and help people adapt to the growing impacts of these crises.
Second, the Charter makes a commitment to maximize the environmental sustainability of humanitarian programmes and operations and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while maintaining the ability to provide timely and principled assistance.
These commitments will only be possible by embracing local leadership, increasing the capacity to understand climate and environmental risks, and working together across and beyond the sector to mobilise even more ambitious climate action.
The ICRC has also adopted a set of three organizational targets and a roadmap for their implementation:
:: Factoring climate and environmental risks in all programs by 2025.
:: Reducing ICRC’s greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% by 2030, compared to 2018 levels, including all direct and indirect emissions.
:: Strengthening awareness, understanding and implementation of IHL protecting the environment among States and parties to conflict as a result of the ICRC’s bilateral and multilateral engagement, publications, and legal tools by 2025.
The climate and environmental crises are humanitarian crises. They affect all of us — but they do not affect all of us equally. Those who have contributed least to the problem are often at the highest risk. The Charter is our commitment to do our part to respond to these crises, meet rising needs, and work together to prevent further death and suffering.
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Global Health Summit, held online today:
From the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, I warned that no one is safe until everyone is safe. I was deeply concerned by the possibility of a dangerous two-speed response. Sadly, that concern was justified.
Grossly unequal access to vaccines, tests, medicines and supplies, including oxygen, have left poorer countries at the mercy of the virus. Recent surges of COVID-19 in India, South America and other regions have left people literally gasping for breath before our eyes. The pandemic is still very much with us, thriving and mutating. As winter approaches in the global South, I fear the worst is yet to come.
Vaccinating quickly and thoroughly around the world, together with continued public health measures, are the only way to end the pandemic and prevent more dangerous variants from gaining a foothold. But, so far, more than 82 per cent of the world’s vaccine doses have gone to affluent countries. Just 0.3 per cent have gone to low-income countries.
The Group of 20 Rome Declaration is a significant step to provide equal access to vaccines. But, we need a follow-up mechanism, backed by the political will to translate the declaration into a global vaccination plan. We have many initiatives, but we must make sure that they add instead of subtract. We must make sure that there is a coordination at those different initiatives, some of them just announced today.
I repeat my call for the G20 to set up a task force that brings together all countries with vaccine production capacities, the World Health Organization, the ACT-Accelerator partners and international financial institutions, able to deal with the pharmaceutical companies and other key stakeholders. The task force should address equitable global distribution by using the COVAX Facility.
It should aim to at least double manufacturing capacity by exploring all options, from voluntary licenses and technology transfers to patent pooling and flexibility on intellectual property rights. The G20 task force should be co-convened at the highest levels by the major powers who hold most of the global supply and production capacity, together with the multilateral system.
I am ready to mobilize the entire United Nations System to support this effort. The task force must also leverage the ACT-Accelerator and its COVAX Facility.
Let’s be clear, we are at war with the virus. And if you are at war with the virus, we need to deal with our weapons with rules of a war economy, and we are not yet there. And this is true for vaccines, and it is true for other components in the fight against the virus. By now, COVAX should have delivered 170 million doses around the world. But, due to vaccine nationalism, limited production capacity and lack of funding, that figure is just 65 million.
I call on G20 countries to lead by example and contribute their full share of funding. An investment of billions could end up saving trillions — and saving lives.
A global coordinated effort on vaccines can end this pandemic. But, it will not help prevent the next. I fully support last week’s bold recommendations from the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response. The world needs political commitment at the highest level to take internationally coordinated, cross-cutting measures and transform global pandemic preparedness.
The bedrock of the recovery from COVID-19, and of preventing and addressing future health crises, is universal health coverage and robust primary health care systems. These are essential to achieve SDG3 and the entire 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
It is time for decisive action. I urge G20 countries, in collaboration with the United Nations, to assume a strong leadership role in ending this devastating global pandemic. Together, we can and we must build a healthier, safer, fairer and more sustainable world. Thank you.
Geneva/Paris/Rome/Nairobi, 20 May 2021 – International organizations have come together to launch a new One Health High-Level Expert Panel to improve understanding of how diseases with the potential to trigger pandemics, emerge and spread.
The panel will advise four international organizations – the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE); the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); and the World Health Organization (WHO) – on the development of a long-term global plan of action to avert outbreaks of diseases like H5N1 avian influenza; MERS; Ebola; Zika, and, possibly, COVID-19. Three quarters of all emerging infectious diseases originate in animals.
It will operate under the One Health Approach, which recognizes the links between the health of people, animals, and the environment and highlights the need for specialists in multiple sectors to address any health threats and prevent disruption to agri-food systems.
Key first steps will include systematic analyses of scientific knowledge about the factors that lead to transmission of a disease from animal to human and vice versa; development of risk assessment and surveillance frameworks; identification of capacity gaps as well as agreement on good practices to prevent and prepare for zoonotic outbreaks.
The panel will consider the impact of human activity on the environment and wildlife habitats. Critical areas will include food production and distribution; urbanization and infrastructure development; international travel and trade; activities that lead to biodiversity loss and climate change; and those that put increased pressure on the natural resource base – all of which can lead to the emergence of zoonotic diseases.
The panel will guide development of a dynamic new research agenda and draw up evidence-based recommendations for global, regional, national and local action.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General said: “Human health does not exist in a vacuum, and nor can our efforts to protect and promote it. The close links between human, animal and environmental health demand close collaboration, communication and coordination between the relevant sectors. The High-Level Expert Panel is a much-needed initiative to transform One Health from a concept to concrete policies that safeguard the health of the world’s people.”…
Global leaders adopt agenda to overcome COVID-19 crisis and avoid future pandemics Press release 21 May 2021 Leaders of the G20 committed today to a series of actions to accelerate the end of the COVID-19 crisis everywhere and better prepare for future pandemics, at a summit co-hosted by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, as G20 chair.
President Ursula von der Leyen said: “This very first G20 summit on health marks the beginning of a new chapter in global health policy. World leaders strongly committed to multilateralism and global cooperation in health. This means, no export bans, keeping global supply chains open and working to extend production capacity everywhere. If we live up to these principles, the world will be better prepared for pandemics.”
The G20 underlined the importance of increased and diversified manufacturing and recognised the role of intellectual property in ensuring equity, both through voluntary licensing and knowledge transfer, as well as in the context of the flexibilities provided by the TRIPS agreement. In that respect, the EU intends to facilitate the implementation of those flexibilities, in particular the use of compulsory licenses including for exports to all countries that lack manufacturing capacity.*
The EU will come forward with a proposal in the WTO focusing on: :: clarifying and facilitating the use of compulsory licences in crisis times like this pandemic; :: supporting the expansion of production; :: trade facilitation and limiting export restrictions.
All G20 members also acknowledged the need to address the funding gap of the ACT-Accelerator, a global collaboration to accelerate development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines, and launched by the WHO, the European Commission, France and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. And agreed to extend its mandate to the end of 2022.
The leaders further agreed on the need for early warning information, surveillance and trigger systems, which will be interoperable. These will cover new viruses, but also variants. They will enable countries to detect much quicker and to act to nip in the bud outbreaks, before they become pandemics.
G20 clearly stressed the need to ensure equitable access to vaccines and to support low and middle-income countries…
Weekly operational update on COVID-19 – 17 May 2021 In this edition of the COVID-19 Weekly Operational Update, highlights of country-level actions and WHO support to countries include: :: Surge capacity and procurement support in India :: Strengthening ambulance services as a part of the emergency response in Syria :: Contact tracing training in Kosovo :: Fiji boost its COVID-19 testing capabilities :: Supporting countries in the Americas to cope with oxygen supply and health worker shortages :: Monitoring implementation of Intra-Action Review recommendations in Indonesia :: Regular updates on WHO’s resource requirements and funds received to support countries in implementing the COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan 2021, WHO/PAHO procurement of critical supplies, and implementation of the Unity Studies
Weekly epidemiological update on COVID-19 – 18 May 2021 Overview Globally, in the past week, the number of new cases and deaths continued to decrease, although overall counts for both remained high with just over 4.8 million new cases and nearly 86 000 new deaths reported in the past week. All regions reported a decline in new cases this week with the exception of the Western Pacific where the number of new cases were similar to the previous week. In this edition, a special focus update is provided on SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Interest (VOIs) and Variants of Concern (VOCs), including updates on the geographic distribution of VOCs B.1.1.7, B.1.351, P.1, and B.1.617.
POLIO Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
Polio this week as of19 May 2021 :: Come and join the virtual launch of the Polio Eradication Strategy 2022-2026, at an online event on Thursday 10 June 2021 (at 2pm, Central European Summer Time). More information, including registration details, are available here, where you will find the ‘Save the Date’.
Summary of new WPV and cVDPV viruses this week (AFP cases and ES positives): :: Afghanistan: five cVDPV2 cases :: Pakistan: one cVDPV2 case :: China: one cVDPV3 positive environmental sample :: Liberia: two cVDPV2 positive environmental samples :: Mali: one cVDPV2 case :: Nigeria: one cVDPV2 case and one cVDPV2 positive environmental sample
Statement following the Twenty-Eighth IHR Emergency Committee for Polio 21 May 2021 Statement The twenty-eighth meeting of the Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) on the international spread of poliovirus was convened by the WHO Director-General on 4 May 2021 with Committee members and advisers attending via video conference, supported by the WHO Secretariat. The Emergency Committee reviewed the data on wild poliovirus (WPV1) and circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV). The following IHR States Parties provided an update at the video conference on the current situation in their respective countries: Afghanistan, Kenya, Pakistan, Senegal, South Sudan and Tajikistan…
Conclusion The Committee unanimously agreed that the risk of international spread of poliovirus remains a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) and recommended the extension of Temporary Recommendations for a further three months. The Committee recognizes the concerns regarding the lengthy duration of the polio PHEIC, but concludes that the current situation is extraordinary, with clear ongoing substantial risk of international spread and utmost need for coordinated international response. The Committee considered the following factors in reaching this conclusion:
Continued risk of WPV1 international spread Based on the following factors, the risk of international spread of WPV1 appears to be currently very high: :: Despite the reported drop in the number of WPV-1 cases, there is geographically widespread transmission in Pakistan and Afghanistan as evidenced by positive environmental samples. :: Isolation of long chain viruses in both countries indicates the possibility of missed transmission in the hard-to-reach population groups. :: The ongoing inaccessibility in many provinces of Afghanistan has led to the increase in size of highly susceptible populations which continues to drive higher transmission; to date about three million children were missed during all the nation-wide rounds in 2020 and 2021 (the highest in southern Afghanistan), and the cohort of missed children continues to rapidly grow (https://polioeradication.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Afghanistan_NEAP_2021.pdf). :: Inconsistent vaccination campaigns quality in critical areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan, including Karachi, Quetta Block and accessible areas of southern Afghanistan. :: Ongoing barriers to reach missed children in the core reservoirs of Pakistan and Afghanistan, including refusals to polio vaccination. :: The complicated context of WPV eradication activities in Afghanistan and Pakistan created by the need to simultaneously respond to cVDPV2 and COVID-19. :: The second wave of COVID-19 that appears to be currently underway in Pakistan, Afghanistan and many polio-affected countries, making the interventions more complex and difficult.
Rising risk of cVDPV2 international spread: Based on the following factors, the risk of international spread of cVDPV2 appears to be currently very high: :: Despite the reported decline in the number of cVDPV2 cases, the risk of international spread of cVDPV2 remains quite high as evidenced by recent importation in Senegal (never infected before) and Kenya (re-importation from Somalia). :: The most updated analyses performed by the GPLN on international spread (Oct – Dec 2020), indicates cVDPV2 exportation from one country to another on 17 occasions. :: The cVDPV2 transmission in Afghanistan has spread to areas that have been inaccessible for vaccination campaigns due to local bans for more than two years. This appears to be driving the intense transmission there, with continued high risk of national and international spread. :: The ever-widening gap in population intestinal mucosal immunity in young children since the withdrawal of OPV2 in 2016. :: The same factors regarding the COVID-19 pandemic as mentioned above…
…Based on the current situation regarding WPV1 and cVDPV, and the reports provided by affected countries, the Director-General accepted the Committee’s assessment on 21 May 2021 and determined that the situation relating to poliovirus continues to constitute a PHEIC, with respect to WPV1 and cVDPV…
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WHO/OCHA Emergencies
Editor’s Note: Continuing with this edition, we include information about the last apparent update evident on the WHO emergency country webpages, recognizing almost universal and significant interims since last update regardless of the level of the emergency listed.
Democratic Republic of the Congo– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 3 May 2021] Mozambique floods– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 3 November 2020] Nigeria– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 29 Jun 2020] Somalia– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 13 July 2020] South Sudan– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 4 February 2020] Syrian Arab Republic– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 24 October 2020] Yemen– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 30 June 2020]
Afghanistan– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 5 July 2020] Angola– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 16 March 2021] Burundi– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 04 July 2019] Cameroon– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 12 March 2020] Central African Republic– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 12 June 2018] Ethiopia– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 22 August 2019] Iran floods 2019– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 2 March 2020] Iraq– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 512 May 2021 Libya– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 7 October 2019] Malawi– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 22 April 2021 Measles in Europe– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 26-04-2021] MERS-CoV– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 8 July 2019] Mozambique– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 03 November 2020] Myanmar– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 29 March 2021] Niger – No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 16 avril 2021] occupied Palestinian territory– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 4 September 2019] HIV in Pakistan– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 27 August 2019] Sao Tome and Principe Necrotizing Cellulitis (2017)– No new digest announcements Sudan– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 24 June 2020] Ukraine– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 1 May 2019] Zimbabwe– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 10 May 2019]
Chad– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 30 June 2018] Djibouti– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 25 novembre 2020] Kenya– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 21 May 2021 Mali– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 3 May 2017] Namibia – viral hepatitis– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 20 July 2018] Tanzania– No new digest announcements identified [Last apparent update: 21 October 2019]
This weekly digest is intended to aggregate and distill key content from a broad spectrum of practice domains and organization types including key agencies/IGOs, NGOs, governments, academic and research institutions, consortia and collaborations, foundations, and commercial organizations. We also monitor a spectrum of peer-reviewed journals and general media channels. The Sentinel’s geographic scope is global/regional but selected country-level content is included. We recognize that this spectrum/scope yields an indicative and not an exhaustive product. Comments and suggestions should be directed to:
David R. Curry Editor GE2P2 Global Foundation – Governance, Evidence, Ethics, Policy, Practicedavid.r.curry@ge2p2center.net
Contents :: Week in Review [See selected posts just below] :: Key Agency/IGO/Governments Watch – Selected Updates from 30+ entities [see PDF] :: INGO/Consortia/Joint Initiatives Watch – Media Releases, Major Initiatives, Research:: Foundation/Major Donor Watch -Selected Updates :: Journal Watch – Key articles
COVID-19: Make it the Last Pandemic The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response May 2021 :: 86 pages The Independent Panel was established by the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General in response to the World Health Assembly resolution 73.1. The mission of the Independent Panel is to provide an evidence-based path for the future, grounded in lessons of the present and the past to ensure countries and global institutions, including specifically WHO, effectively address health threats. Members: Rt Hon. Helen Clark Co-Chair H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Co-Chair Mauricio Cárdenas Aya Chebbi Mark Dybul Michel Kazatchkine Joanne Liu Precious Matsoso David Miliband Thoraya Obaid Preeti Sudan Ernesto Zedillo Zhong Nanshan
Main Report: COVID-19: Make it the Last Pandemic – PDF, 5.1 MB From the Introduction …Seized by the gravity of the crisis, in May 2020 the World Health Assembly requested the Director-general of WHO to initiate an impartial, independent, and comprehensive review of the international health response to COVID-19 and of experiences gained and lessons learned from that, and to make recommendations to improve capacities for the future. The Director-General asked H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and the Rt Hon. Helen Clark to convene an independent panel for this purpose and to report to the World Health Assembly in May 2021.
The Panel has taken a systematic, rigorous and comprehensive approach to its work. It has sought to listen to and learn from a wide range of interlocutors. Since mid-September 2020, the Panel has reviewed extensive literature, conducted original research, heard from experts in 15 round-table discussions and in interviews, received the testimony of people working on the front lines of the pandemic in town-hall-style meetings, and welcomed many submissions from its open invitation to contribute.
The Panel has examined the state of pandemic preparedness prior to COVID-19, the circumstances of the identification of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the disease it causes, coronavirus disease (COVID-19), and responses globally, regionally and nationally, particularly in the pandemic’s early months. It has also analysed the wide-ranging impact of the pandemic and the ongoing social and economic crisis that it has precipitated.
This report presents the Panel’s findings on what happened, the lessons to be learned from that, and our recommendations for strategic action now to end this pandemic and to ensure that any future infectious disease outbreak does not become a catastrophic pandemic…
[Excerpts; Editor’s selection/text bolding] [p.14] The Independent Panel makes the following urgent calls I. Apply non-pharmaceutical public health measures systematically and rigorously in every country at the scale the epidemiological situation requires. All countries to have an explicit evidence-based strategy agreed at the highest level of government to curb COVID-19 transmission.
II. High income countries with a vaccine pipeline for adequate coverage should, alongside their scale up, commit to provide to the 92 low and middle income countries of the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment, at least one billion vaccine doses no later than 1 September 2021 and more than two billion doses by mid-2022, to be made available through COVAX and other coordinated mechanisms.
III. G7 countries to commit to providing 60% of the US$ 19 billion required for ACT-A in 2021 for vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics and strengthening health systems with the remainder being mobilised from others in the G20 and other higher income countries. A formula based on ability to pay should be adopted for predictable, sustainable, and equitable financing of such global public goods on an ongoing basis.
IV. The World Trade Organization and WHO to convene major vaccine-producing countries and manufacturers to get agreement on voluntary licensing and technology transfer arrangements for COVID-19 vaccines (including through the Medicines Patent Pool). If actions do not occur within three months, a waiver of intellectual property rights under the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights should come into force immediately.
V. Production of and access to COVID-19 tests and therapeutics, including oxygen, should be scaled up urgently in low- and middle income countries with full funding of US$1.7 billion for needs in 2021 and the full utilization of the US$3.7 billion in the Global Fund’s COVID-19 Response Mechanism Phase 2 for procuring tests, strengthening laboratories and running surveillance and tests.
VI. WHO to develop immediately a roadmap for the short-term, and within three months scenarios for the medium- and long-term response to COVID-19, with clear goals, targets and milestones to guide and monitor the implementation of country and global efforts towards ending the COVID-19 pandemic.
[p.45] 5. The Independent Panel’s recommendations for transforming the international system for pandemic preparedness and response The Panel believes that system-level change is needed to overcome the manifest failure of the international system to prevent, contain, and mitigate the impact of a pandemic. Pandemic preparedness and response have to function at national, regional and global levels, across different sectors of social and economic life, and include government, business and community.
The current pandemic needs to be stopped as quickly as possible. Then measures in the recovery phase must be taken to ensure that such a pandemic never happens again, by building forward better. The lost ground in progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals needs to be made up by redressing the interlocking impacts of the pandemic on health, livelihoods, and inequality.
The Panel’s recommendations follow from the diagnosis we have made of what went wrong at each stage of the pandemic, in preparedness, surveillance and alert and early and sustained response and from our view of the leadership required to transform the system.
There is a need for: :: Stronger leadership and better coordination at national, regional and international level, including a more focused and independent WHO, a Pandemic Treaty, and a senior Global Health Threats Council. :: investment in preparedness now, and not when the next crisis hits, more accurate measurement of it, and accountability mechanisms to spur action; :: an improved system for surveillance and alert at a speed that can combat viruses like SARS-CoV-2, and authority given to WHO to publish information and to dispatch expert missions immediately; :: a pre-negotiated platform able to produce vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics and supplies and secure their rapid and equitable delivery as essential global common goods; :: access to financial resources, both for investments in preparedness and to be able to inject funds immediately at the onset of a potential pandemic.
The Panel calls on Member States to request the United Nations Secretary-General to convene a special session of the United Nations General Assembly to reach agreement on the reforms needed to ensure that the world can prevent the next outbreak of a new pathogen becoming another pandemic…
[p.48] 2. Focus and strengthen the independence, authority and financing of the WHO The Panel recommends I. Establish WHO´s financial independence, based on fully unearmarked resources, increase Member States fees to 2/3 of the budget for the WHO base programme and have an organized replenishment process for the remainder of the budget.
II. Strengthen the authority and independence of the Director-General, including by having a single term of office of seven years with no option for re-election. The same rule should be adopted for Regional Directors.
III. Strengthen the governance capacity of the Executive Board, including by establishing a Standing Committee for Emergencies.
IV. Focus WHO’s mandate on normative, policy, and technical guidance, including supporting countries and regions to build capacity for pandemic preparedness and response and for resilient and equitable health systems.
V. Empower WHO to take a leading, convening, and coordinating role in operational aspects of an emergency response to a pandemic, without, in most circumstances, taking on responsibility for procurement and supplies, while also ensuring other key functions of WHO do not suffer including providing technical advice and support in operational settings.
VI. Resource and equip WHO Country Offices sufficiently to respond to technical requests from national governments to support pandemic preparedness and response, including support to build resilient equitable and accessible health systems, UHC and healthier populations.
VII. Prioritize the quality and performance of staff at each WHO level, and de-politicize recruitment (especially at senior levels) by adhering to criteria of merit and relevant competencies.
[p.52] 4. Establish a new international system for surveillance, validation and alert The Panel recommends I. WHO to establish a new global system for surveillance, based on full transparency by all parties, using state-of-the-art digital tools to connect information centres around the world and including animal and environmental health surveillance, with appropriate protections of people’s rights.
II. WHO to be given the explicit authority by the World Health Assembly to publish information about outbreaks with pandemic potential on an immediate basis, without requiring the prior approval of national governments.
III. WHO to be empowered by the World Health Assembly to investigate pathogens with pandemic potential in all countries with short-notice access to relevant sites, provision of samples and standing multientry visas for international epidemic experts to outbreak locations.
IV. Future declarations of a PHEIC by the WHO Director-General should be based on the precautionary principle where warranted, as in the case of respiratory infections. PHEIC declarations should be based on clear, objective, and published criteria. The Emergency Committee advising the WHO Director-General must be fully transparent in its membership and working methods. On the same day that a PHEIC is declared, WHO must provide countries with clear guidance on what action should to be taken and by whom to contain the health threat…
The ISO Action Plan for developing countries is the overall framework for technical assistance and training to support developing country members. Its objective is to empower members to contribute actively to the ISO system and fully realize the benefits of using ISO standards, particularly those addressing social, economic and environmental challenges. Achieving this objective will also make an important contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and ISO’s vision of “making lives easier, safer and better” by 2030.
Strategic context
The global community is faced with an increasing set of social, economic and environmental challenges. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide an ambitious frame-work for global collective action to address these challenges and achieve a more sustainable future, by supporting inclusive economic growth, the wellbeing of people and the protection of the planet. They present an opportunity and an aspiration to build greener, more inclusive economies and stronger, more resilient societies.
ISO standards have an essential role to play in making these development goals a reality by enabling free and fair international trade, encouraging innovation and technology development, and fostering trust through the provision of world-class, consensus-based specifications.
Developing countries can benefit significantly from using ISO standards. At a government level, standards can be used to support public policy and good regulatory practice. At a private-sector level, businesses can use standards to ensure that their processes, products and services are fit for purpose, interchangeable and compatible. Consumers benefit greatly from goods and services developed in line with standards because they can be confident that these are of good quality, safe and environmentally sound. To realize these benefits, it is important that developing countries have the skills and resources to propose new work items and participate in all stages of ISO standards development. ISO recognizes that many of its developing country members need capacity building support to benefit fully from the use of ISO standards in contributing to their countries’ development objectives and advancing the SDGs.
ISO Strategy 2021-2030
Making lives easier, safer and better
ISO’s ten-year strategy sets out the organization’s vision, mission, goals and priorities to 2030, a time frame that aligns with the SDGs. The strategy aims to ensure that ISO is well positioned within a rapidly changing global context and that ISO standards fulfil their potential in delivering ISO’s vision of “ making lives easier, safer and better ”.
To realize this vision, and maximize the impact of standards and standardization, ISO has identified three clear goals: ISO standards used everywhere; meeting global needs; and all voices heard. These goals are underpinned by six strategic priorities and an associated set of performance indicators. Recognizing that ISO is only as strong as its members, and that strong national standards bodies (NSBs) are key to its success, one of these strategic priorities is “ to strengthen ISO members through capacity building ”. The ISO Strategy serves as the basis for the ISO Action Plan for developing countries: the overall framework of technical assistance and training support that ISO delivers to its developing country members.
Impact
Developing countries are empowered to actively contribute to the ISO system, and to benefit fully from the use of ISO standards addressing social, economic and environmental challenges. The ultimate long-term objective of this Action Plan is to empower ISO’s developing country members to contribute actively to the ISO system and fully realize the benefits of using ISO standards that address social, economic and environmental challenges. Meaningful participation of developing countries in international standardization is fundamental to ensuring the global relevance of ISO standards and establishing the right conditions for their effective implementation. Achieving this objective will make an important contribution towards the delivery of the SDGs and ISO’s vision of “ making lives easier, safer and better ” by 2030.
Outcomes
To deliver on the desired long-term impact, two main areas of improvement (outcomes) have been identified for ISO’s developing country members.
Outcome 1: Increased use of ISO standards and their national adoptions in developing countries to support the UN SDGs, particularly those relating to trade and climate change.
The Action Plan will build in-country awareness and expertise of ISO standards to encourage their use and adoption among all stakeholders and support the achievement of the UNSDGs. While the Action Plan will seek to promote the use and adoption of ISO standards relating to all 17 SDGs (see Box on page 1), the priority focus is on international trade and climate change.
International trade is a key catalyst for economic development and poverty reduction, and one of the most important drivers of prosperity, particularly in developing countries. The application of ISO standards reduces technical barriers to trade and increases developing countries’ trade opportunities. The Plan will enable developing countries to use ISO standards effectively to benefit from trade and contribute to their economic development.
Given the profound threat of climate change, the Plan has also prioritized providing support to developing countries so that they can develop, adopt and apply ISO standards relating to all aspects of climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Outcome 2: Increased effective participation of ISO’s developing country members at governance and technical levels to enhance the global relevance of ISO standards.
ISO standards will only be globally relevant and effectively adopted and used if they suffi-ciently represent the views and interests of as many countries as possible. To ensure that developing countries’ interests are fairly represented and provided for, the Action Plan will assist developing countries in participating more effectively at both the governance and technical levels within the ISO system.
GE2P2 Global :: Knowledge Sharing; Ideas; Operations 