Tag: world leaders

World leaders commit to redouble efforts towards universal health coverage by 2030

Today, at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly High-Level Meeting, world leaders have approved a new Political Declaration on “Universal Health Coverage (UHC): expanding our ambition for health and well-being in a post-COVID world”.

The declaration is hailed as a vital catalyst for the international community to take big and bold actions and mobilize the necessary political commitments and financial investments to attain the UHC target of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

The UHC target measures the ability of countries to ensure that everyone receives the health care they need, when and where they need it, without facing financial hardship. It covers the full continuum of key services from health promotion to prevention, protection, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care. Alarmingly, global progress towards UHC has been largely stagnating since 2015, before stalling in 2019.

The urgency of the declaration is evident in the staggering statistics. At least 4.5 billion people—more than half of the world’s population—were not fully covered by essential health services in 2021. Two billion people experienced financial hardship, with over 1.3 billion being pushed or further pushed into poverty just trying to access basic health care – a stark reality of widening health inequities.

“Ultimately, universal health coverage is a choice–a political choice,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “The political declaration countries approved today is a strong signal that they are making that choice. But the choice is not just made on paper. It’s made in budget decisions and policy decisions. Most of all, it’s made by investing in primary health care, which is the most inclusive, equitable, and efficient path to universal health coverage.”

Turning point for course-correction
In the Political Declaration, Heads of State and world leaders committed to take key national actions, make essential investments, strengthen international cooperation and global solidarity at the highest political level to accelerate progress towards UHC by 2030, using a primary health care (PHC) approach.

For health care to be truly universal, it requires a shift from health systems designed around diseases to systems designed for people. PHC, an approach to strengthening health systems centred on people’s needs, is one of the most effective areas for investment to accelerate progress towards UHC.

Countries that have taken a PHC approach have better ability to rapidly build stronger, more resilient health systems to reach the most vulnerable and achieve a higher return on health investments. Most importantly, they ensure that more people are covered with essential health services and are empowered to participate in making the decisions that affect their health and well-being.

It is estimated that an additional US$ 200–328 billion investment per year is needed to scale-up a PHC approach in low- and middle-income countries (e.g. up to approximately 3.3% of national gross domestic product). This could help health systems deliver up to 90% of essential health services, save at least 60 million lives and increase average life expectancy by 3.7 years by 2030.

Source: https://www.who.int/news/item/21-09-2023-world-leaders-commit-to-redouble-efforts-towards-universal-health-coverage-by-2030

Morocco earthquake: Race against time to reach survivors as number killed nears 2,900

The United Nations estimates some 300,000 people were affected by Friday night’s magnitude 6.8 quake, with most of the destruction and deaths in the High Atlas Mountains, where homes folded in on themselves and left residents trapped underneath the ruins.

Rescuers are battling to reach remote mountain towns devastated by the earthquake in Morocco, as the number of confirmed deaths from the disaster neared 2,900.

Search teams from the UK, Spain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates were joining efforts to help find people buried under debris.

The United Nations estimates some 300,000 people were affected by Friday night’s magnitude 6.8 quake, which was made more dangerous by its relatively shallow depth.

Most of the destruction and deaths were in Al Haouz province in the High Atlas Mountains, where homes folded in on themselves and left residents trapped underneath the ruins.

Much of the quake zone is in hard-to-reach areas and roads have been blocked by rocks, making it hard for rescuers to access the worst-hit locations.

Authorities have not yet issued any estimates for the number of people missing.

The UK has sent a 60-person search team with four dogs, medical staff, listening devices and concrete-cutting gear.

The European Union said it was releasing an initial €1m (£858,000) to non-governmental aid organisations in Morocco.

A search worker stands among rubble in Talat N’yaaqoub, Morocco

Survivors spend three nights sleeping outside

Aftershocks have hit the quake zone, leading those left homeless to spend three nights sleeping on the streets of Marrakech or under makeshift canopies in devastated towns.

Survivors struggling to find shelter and supplies have criticised the government’s response, accusing it of being slow.

The army said it was reinforcing search-and-rescue teams, providing drinking water and distributing food, tents and blankets.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/morocco-earthquake-race-against-time-to-reach-survivors-as-number-killed-nears-2700-12959250

G20 Summit 2023: US lauds the mega event in Delhi says, ‘Absolutely success’

G20 Summit in Delhi hailed as a success by US (AP)

G20 Leaders’ Summit wrapped up with enthusiasm in Delhi under India’s presidency, the United States lauded it as an ‘absolute success.’

In a briefing on September 11, the US State Department’s official spokesperson, Matthew Miller, told reporters, “We absolutely believe it was a success. The G20 is a big organisation. Russia is a member of the G20. China is a member of the G20.”

The “use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible,” the G20 nations stated on September 9 in a New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration in the context of the Ukraine war.

The New Delhi Declaration reaffirmed that the G20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation, and the member countries acknowledged that the G20 is not the platform for geopolitical and security issues, although these issues can have consequences for the global economy.

The G20 member countries called on all nations to respect core principles of international law. These principles include upholding territorial integrity, sovereignty, following international humanitarian laws, and supporting the multilateral system that helps maintain global peace and stability.

Source: https://www.livemint.com/news/g20-summit-2023-us-lauds-the-mega-event-in-delhi-says-absolutely-success-11694480195165.html

Morocco earthquake kills at least 632 people with hundreds more injured

The earthquake struck late on Friday – damaging homes in major cities and sending panicked people pouring into the streets. Many of the fatalities are said to be in hard-to-reach areas south of Marrakech.

At least 632 people have been killed and hundreds injured following a 6.8 magnitude earthquake in Morocco, state TV says.

Many of the fatalities are said to be in hard-to-reach areas south of Marrakech.

Many buildings have been reduced to rubble in Marrakech. Pic: Al Oula TV

The earthquake struck late on Friday – damaging buildings in major cities and sending panicked people pouring into the streets.

At least 329 people were injured and are being treated in hospital.

Witnesses in Marrakech, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, told the Reuters news agency that some buildings have collapsed. Big cracks were seen in a section of the medieval city’s walls.

Local television stations broadcast pictures of a fallen mosque minaret, with rubble lying on smashed cars. Others were seen screaming as they ran out of shopping centres and restaurants.

Officials are working to clear roads so ambulances and aid can reach those affected – but large distances between mountain villages mean it will take time to learn the full extent of the damage.

Montasir Itri, a resident in the mountain village of Asni not far from the epicentre, said most houses were damaged – adding: “Our neighbours are under the rubble and people are working hard to rescue them using available means in the village.”

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/earthquake-in-morocco-has-killed-dozens-of-people-officials-say-12957757

Biden, Sunak, Trudeau: Where World Leaders Are Staying In Delhi During G20

India, which is heading the group this year, has pulled out all the stops, deploying drones around the national capital, painting murals at underpasses.

New Delhi: Leaders from the Group of 20 (G20) major economies will assemble in New Delhi to try to find solutions to some of the world’s pressing problems amid a deep geopolitical divide over the war in Ukraine that threatens progress on several global fronts.
India, which is heading the group this year, has pulled out all the stops, deploying drones around the national capital, painting murals, and chasing away monkeys using large-scale langur cutouts.

Here’s a look at the major leaders attending the G20 Summit in New Delhi and where they will be putting up

Joe Biden

US President Joe Biden will arrive in New Delhi and will be staying at the ITC Maurya. He will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday and is expected to discuss clean energy transition and climate change at the Summit.

Rishi Sunak

Rishi Sunak will attend the G20 Summit during his first official trip to India as Britain’s Prime Minister. He will stay at the Shangri La hotel.

Ahead of the summit, the 43-year-old praised PM Modi’s leadership and said India was the “right country at the right time”.

China delegation

Premier Li Qiang will lead China’s delegation, effectively indicating President Xi Jinping will not attend, scuppering chances of a meeting with Biden. This will be the first time that a Chinese president has missed a G20 leaders’ summit since the first edition was held in 2008, though in 2020 and 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Xi attended virtually.

The delegation will be staying at Delhi’s Taj Hotel.

Justin Trudeau

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be travelling to Indonesia to participate in the ASEAN summit before arriving in New Delhi for the G20 Summit on Saturday and Sunday. He will be staying at The Lalit Hotel

G20 Summit in Delhi: US Prez Biden Tests Covid-19 Negative, to Meet PM Modi on Friday

US President Joe Biden will travel to India on September 7, two days before the G20 Summit commences in New Delhi. (Image: Reuters)

US President Joe Biden has tested negative for Covid-19 and will travel to India on Thursday to attend the G20 Summit in New Delhi, the White House said on Tuesday.

The US president will also have a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The announcement comes a day after First Lady Jill Biden tested positive for coronavirus on Monday.

Biden will also be abiding by the CDC guidelines, and will only remove his mask when he is socially distanced from others.

“The US President will travel to India on Thursday to attend the G20 Summit,” National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told a press conference at the White House.

President Biden will participate in a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Modi. Biden will participate in the official sessions of the G20 Summit on Saturday and Sunday, he added.

At the G20 Summit, Biden will call for a “just and durable peace” for Ukraine, the White House said.

India, President of the G20, will host global leaders for the Summit scheduled to take place on September 9 and 10 in New Delhi. During the Summit, Biden will commend Modi for his leadership of the G20, the White House said.

On Saturday (September 9) and Sunday (September 10), the President will participate in the G20 summit, where he and G20 partners will discuss a range of joint efforts to tackle global issues, including the clean energy transition and combatting climate change.

They will also mitigate the economic and social impacts of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, and increase the capacity of multilateral development banks, including the World Bank, to better fight poverty, including by addressing global challenges, the White House said.

While in New Delhi, the President will also commend Prime Minister Modi’s leadership of the G20 and reaffirm the US commitment to the G20 as the premier forum of economic cooperation, including by hosting it in 2026, it said.

Source: https://www.news18.com/india/g20-summit-us-president-biden-tests-covid-19-negative-to-meet-modi-on-friday-says-white-house-8565583.html

G20 Summit: With India not inviting Zelenskyy, Macron becomes third leader to dial Ukrainian President

File Photo: Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and French President Emmanuel Macron speak during a meeting of the European Political Community at Mimi Castle in Bulboaca, Moldova June 1, 2023. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters Photo

Like Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, President Emmanuel Macron of France too has spoken to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine over the phone – days before travelling to New Delhi to attend the G20 summit, which has come under the long shadow of Russia’s military aggression against the East European nation.

Zelenskyy posted on a social media platform that he and Macron had a phone call on Sunday and discussed France’s military support for Ukraine. Macron also promised Zelenskyy that France would play an active role in promoting the peace formula proposed by Ukraine to end Russia’s war.

Macron will travel to New Delhi this week to attend the G20 summit, which will be hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He is the third G20 leader to dial Zelenskyy just before attending the summit of the premier forum for international economic cooperation. Trudeau and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida recently had phone calls with the president of Ukraine.

Apart from the heads of states and heads of governments of the 19 G20 nations and the European Union, India has also invited the leaders of nine other nations to the summit.

The Modi government, however, resisted pressure from the West and did not include the president of Ukraine in the list of “special invitees”, ostensibly to avoid annoying Russia, which shares a “special and privileged strategic partnership” with India.

Zelenskyy had addressed the G20 leaders through video-link during the intergovernmental forum’s 17th summit, which had been held at Bali in Indonesia in November of 2022. He had presented his peace formula during his address to the summit, which Russian President Vladimir Putin had not attended.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/world/after-kishida-and-trudeau-macron-dials-zelenskyy-before-attending-g20-summit-2672893

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