COVID vaccines ought to be declared as global public goods: PM Hasina
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said Bangladesh firmly believes that coronavirus vaccines should be declared as global public goods and needed a solid partnership to tackle COVID-19 challenges.
The pandemic, she noted, has taken mankind at a crossroad of history confronting most likely the gravest global challenge of our times, reports UNB.
"The socio-economic impacts of the pandemic are massive and so are still unfolding. It is, therefore, extremely important to fortify the global and regional partnerships through coordinated efforts to address these challenges," she said.
Prime Minister Hasina said this in her prerecorded video speech at the opening plenary of the four-day total annual conference Boao Forum for Asia (BAF) titled "A global in change: Join hands to strengthen global governance and advance Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Cooperation".
Partnership and Connectivity
Sheikh Hasina centered on three issues -
First, the necessity for strong partnership to address the challenges posed by the pandemic, and make vaccines available to everyone by declaring it as global public goods;
Second, the necessity to work together for harnessing the power of technology as the near future will be driven by the 4IR, which comes with opportunities and challenges, and third, seamless physical and digital connectivity which is the main element to reaping the benefits of the Asian Century.
She said that beneath the present state of globalisation, every country must do its part for common good. The nations and economies must look out for each other as no single country nowadays can sustain on its own.
"Let's think together, interact and grow together," she said.
More Access To Funds
The Prime Minister said that the pandemic highlights the crucial role of global governance to make sure that no one is left behind even during crisis.
"Bangladesh believes in the primacy of the global institutions. All nations need to work together to help make the UN and other international organisations effective in order that everyone's requirement of vaccines and medical requirement are met," she said.
Sheikh Hasina said that the WHO, GAVI and other relevant organisations must uphold the rights of Member States and ensure equity and justice.
Putting focus on declaring COVID-19 vaccines as global public goods, she said that countries producing the vaccines should help others produce them with a view to attaining universal vaccine coverage.
At these critical times, she said, financial and technical supports to developing countries also have become more important.
"Developing countries need more usage of the funds of the International FINANCE INSTITUTIONS and the Multinational Development Banks."
Growing Faster Together
The Prime Minister said that Bangladesh has been trying to mitigate the adverse impacts of the pandemic through balanced measures between life and livelihood.
"We've so far announced various stimulus packages worth $14.6 billion, around 4.4 percent of our GDP, for social protection and boosting economy," she said.
She noted that Bangladesh is engaged in different regional connectivity initiatives through SAARC, BIMSTEC, SASEC, BBIN and BCIM.
Bangladesh is uniquely located to connect the parts of South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia and beyond through multi-modal linkages and believes that BRI could play an essential role in this regard, the Prime Minister said.
Sheikh Hasina mentioned that continent has the benefit of huge demographic dividend, vast markets and the technological edge.
"If we join hands, together we can grow faster. This'll also help us achieve the SDGs that we all committed to fulfil. We must maximise the technological potentials of the 4IR by extending hands [towards] one another," she said.
The Asian Century
The Prime Minister said that Bangladesh has created a remarkable structure for facing the future challenges through establishing high-tech parks, broadband and satellite connectivity. Most of all, it's been preparing its young persons for innovation, not simply for imitation.
"Hence, together we also need to tap each other's advantages and also overcome various challenges that include it, including cyber-crimes. Timely measures might help us realise the possibilities of the Asian Century."
Tackling Climate Change Challenges
Bangladesh is among the most climate vulnerable countries.
"Despite our resource scarcity, we've established a climate Change Trust Fund around $450 million from our very own resources," the Prime Minister said.
She said that Bangladesh has been implementing various adaptation and mitigation programmes to offset the adverse impacts of climate change. The Parliament in November 2019 adopted a motion declaring 'Planetary Emergency' to deal with climate change issues.
Within celebrations of the birth centenary of our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, she said, Bangladesh is planting 30 million trees in the united states.
"We've also adopted the 'Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan' which'll help mobilise resources for a much better and secured future," she said.
The Prime Minister mentioned that as Bangladesh is the current President of the Climate Vulnerable Forum, in addition, it hosting the South Asian Regional Office of Global Centre for Adaptation.
"The centre will continue to work on disseminating local-based innovative adaptation strategies," she said.
