On Friday (19th February) the Prime Minister will host fellow G7
leaders for a virtual meeting to discuss how the world’s leading
democracies can work together to ensure equitable distribution of
coronavirus vaccines around the world, prevent future pandemics
and build back better from coronavirus.
Friday’s meeting will be the first hosted by the PM as part of
the UK’s G7 Presidency this year and the first gathering of G7
leaders since April 2020.
The Prime Minister will use the meeting, which will also be US
President Biden’s first major multilateral engagement, to call
for leaders to work together on a joined-up global approach to
pandemics that brings an end to the nationalist and divisive
politics that marred the initial response to coronavirus.
He will argue that putting our citizens first should not come at
the expense of working on a unified response, and that the last
twelve months of the pandemic have showed that no country can be
safe until every country is safe from the pandemic. The rollout
of vaccines offers a fresh opportunity to demonstrate the value
of international cooperation.
International pandemic preparedness will be a major priority for
the UK’s G7 Presidency and the Prime Minister will work with
fellow G7 leaders to implement his five-point plan to prevent
future pandemics announced at the UN General Assembly last year.
The five point plan includes a worldwide network of zoonotic
research hubs, developing global manufacturing capacity for
treatments and vaccines, the design of a global pandemic early
warning system, the agreement of global protocols for a future
health emergency and the reduction of trade barriers.
There have already been positive steps to ensure equitable access
to a coronavirus vaccine. Last month the US announced it would
join the COVAX initiative, becoming the final G7 country to do
so. COVAX will provide developing countries with 1.3 billion
doses of the vaccine this year and the UK is providing £548m to
the scheme.
In recent weeks the UK has worked closely with G7 partners on a
huge range of global issues and shared challenges. On Friday, the
Chancellor and Governor of the Bank of England held the first
meeting of G7 Finance Ministers. G7 Foreign Ministers have spoken
out together in the last month in condemnation of the military
coup of Myanmar, the detention of Alexey Navalny in Russia and
threats to human rights in Hong Kong.
The Prime Minister said:
“The solutions to the challenges we face – from the colossal
mission to get vaccines to every single country, to the fight to
reverse the damage done to our ecosystems and lead a sustainable
recovery from coronavirus – lie in the discussions we have with
our friends and partners around the world.
“Quantum leaps in science have given us the vaccines we need to
end this pandemic for good. Now world governments have a
responsibility to work together to put those vaccines to the best
possible use. I hope 2021 will be remembered as the year humanity
worked together like never before to defeat a common foe.”
During February the UK also holds the Presidency of the United
Nations Security Council, which rotates between members every
month. The UK is using this Presidency to galvanise international
action on coronavirus, climate change and conflict.
On the 23rd February the Prime Minister will chair a virtual
meeting of the UN Security Council on the link between climate
change and conflict. This is the first time a UK Prime Minister
has chaired a Security Council session since 1992. The
discussions at the meeting will inform crucial action ahead of
the UK-hosted COP26 Summit in November. This Wednesday the
Foreign Secretary will host a UN meeting on equitable access to
vaccines and ensuring they get to people in conflict zones and
during humanitarian crises.
Notes to Editors:
- The G7 leaders’ meeting on 19th February will be
attended by the leaders of the UK, Canada, France, Germany,
Italy, Japan and the USA, and the Presidents of the European
Council and the EU Commission.
- The UN Security Council session chaired by the Prime Minister
will also involve permanent UNSC members China, France, Russia
and the USA, non-permanent members Estonia, India, Ireland,
Kenya, Mexico, Niger, Norway, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Tunisia and Vietnam, and the UN Secretary General.
