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Hello, 2023: Gavi’s Board votes in a plan for the coming year
December 9, 2022 GAVI NewsAfter two days of heavy discussion in Geneva, Switzerland, the Gavi Board has voted its approval of a bold suite of strategy decisions – a plan of action that prompted Chair of the Gavi Board José Manuel Barroso to hail 2023 as a \"Year of Renewal\".If that phrase rings with determined confidence, it might be because these last pandemic years have brought with them both hard-won successes and worrying setbacks.The Board agreed, in principle, to explore integrating the COVID-19 jabs into Gavi’s core programming. The aim here is to help lift the burden on country health programmes of running specialised emergency immunisation programmes, and move towards a sustainable new normal.In 2021, Gavi-supported countries delivered a larger volume of life-saving vaccines than ever before, with more than 65 million children reached with routine vaccines in addition to the more than two billion COVID-19 vaccines administered in Gavi-supported countries.And yet, in consequence of COVID-19\'s many disruptions, the world entered 2022 with millions more vaccine-unprotected \"zero-dose\" children than it had in 2019. Global coverage with three doses of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis-containing vaccine (DTP3) – the conventional measure for vaccine coverage in general – fell by four percentage points in 2020 and a further one percentage point in 2021.This is ground that must be regained. \'Renewal\', then, means both catching up losses and pressing ambitiously forward. Here are six ways Gavi will be doing that in 2023:1. Doubling down on essential immunisationMaking sure children have access to life-saving routine vaccines no matter where they live has been at the heart of Gavi\'s mission since the organisation was founded at the turn of the millennium. The upshot of its efforts so far? An estimated 16.2 million future deaths averted and child mortality halved in 73 lower-income countries.But there\'s a lot more to do. And, since the pandemic hobbled many national immunisation programmes, the world is now engaged in an urgent game of catch-up – the stakes of which are spotlit by the aberrant numbers of large-scale, life-threatening measles outbreaks the world has recorded this year alone.A renewed focus on routine immunisation and reaching zero-dose children, new vaccine introductions, a strengthened Alliance role in outbreak and pandemic preparedness and response, alongside continued COVID-19 vaccinations in lower income countries, is the basis of Gavi\'s next-period strategy, the Board has reaffirmed.2. Finding missed-out zero-dose childrenRenewing core commitments doesn\'t mean business as usual. Finding completely unvaccinated, hard-to-reach zero-dose children and bringing them under the shelter of the immunisation umbrella has been a core priority of Gavi\'s fifth strategic period, inaugurated in 2021, and which will reach its halfway point in 2023 (the evolution of the Gavi 5.0 strategy just endorsed by the Board is being called 5.1).The urgency of this work couldn\'t be clearer: Pre-pandemic analyses suggest nearly 50% of vaccine preventable deaths occur among zero-dose children. Two-thirds of these children live in extremely poor households suffering from multiple deprivations, including lack of access to reproductive health services, water and sanitation.It\'s a workstream that – in making vaccination blind spots its target – runs on innovation. The Zero-Dose Immunization Programme, or ZIP, a programme that launched this year, which serves kids in some of the most fragile cross-border zones on the planet, offers one example of the kinds of fresh approaches and partnerships that will channel Gavi\'s transformative efforts into 2023.3. Driving new vaccine introductions: HPV and moreThe human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has the power to prevent 70–90% of cervical cancer cases – a disease which currently finds about 90% of its more than 340,000 annual victims in lower and middle-income countries (LMICs). Today, just 12% of people worldwide, and 9% of people in Gavi-supported countries, have been immunised against the cancer-causing virus.That\'s about to change. This week, the Board has green-lit an injection of US$ 167 million for the relaunch of Gavi\'s HPV vaccine programme, for a total investment of more than US$ 600 million. By 2025, the Alliance is planning to reach more than 86 million girls with the vaccine, which will translate to an estimated 1.4 million future deaths averted.Other vaccines that will receive beefed-up Gavi support in the next period include the world\'s first generation of malaria vaccines, and the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), a critical component of the global polio end-game.4. In principle, mainstreaming COVID-19 vaccines into Gavi\'s core programmesOther potential additions to the Gavi stable of vaccines are the COVID-19 jabs that have been saving lives worldwide for the past two years. While COVAX has a plan to cover the worst-case scenario – a major worldwide resurgence of the pandemic, including associated deaths – the Board agreed, in principle, to explore integrating the COVID-19 jabs into Gavi\'s core programming. The aim here is to help lift the burden on country health programmes of running specialised emergency immunisation programmes, and move towards a sustainable new normal.This approval in principle by the Board will help Gavi engage with countries and partners on what shape a future programme would take, while also remaining flexible in case of further developments in 2023.5. Helping grow vaccine manufacturing outside the Global North – especially in AfricaThe pandemic made it clear: concentrating the capacity to make vaccines in just a couple of global regions leaves the rest of the world at elevated risk. Gavi\'s Board has voted \'yes\' on a plan to step up and support regional institutions to create sustainable vaccine-manufacturing hubs in, particularly, Africa, which currently fulfils just 0.1% of global supply.The African Union has declared an intention that the continent should develop, produce and supply more than 60% of its own vaccine needs by 2040. For both global health equity and resilience, Gavi has pledged to help.6. Preparing for the next pandemicYou\'ve heard it by now: the question isn\'t if, it\'s when. Amid climate change, population growth, urbanisation, pressure on wildernesses and human migration, the chance of a COVID-19 scale pandemic breaking out has increased to an estimated 2% in any given year. At this very moment, the world is faced with no fewer than three WHO-declared Public Health Emergencies of International Concern (PHEICs): polio, mpox and COVID-19.If it wasn\'t clear before, it has certainly became evident during the COVID-19 pandemic that Gavi\'s decades of experience in responding to outbreaks gives the organisation an important position in the global landscape of pandemic preparedness and response (PPR). The Board voted this week to prioritise strengthening health systems in readiness for a major epidemic threat and working towards equitable access to outbreak and pandemic vaccines.
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- 14 December 2022
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Businesses need to be more involved to reach UN goals on poverty and hunger: Ban Ki-moon
Nobember 29, 2022Arab NewsRIYADH: UN goals on ending poverty and eradicating hunger by 2030 are set to be missed as governments, businesses, and civil societies are not working properly together, according to the organization’s former secretary-general.Speaking at the World Travel and Tourism Council Global Summit in Riyadh on Nov. 29, Ban Ki-moon said that it is extremely unlikely the world will achieve all 17 sustainable development goals within the next eight years.Other targets include quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, and affordable and clean energy.“It is almost impossible to achieve our 17 sustainable development goals by 2030, instead it may go beyond 2053. For African countries, it may go up to 2060,” said Ki-moon.He added: “The 17 SDG goals demand global partnerships between governments, business companies and civil societies. When this trilateral partnership starts working, then I think we can do it.”During his talk, he also highlighted the importance of having global collaboration and cooperation between governments to achieve sustainability goals.“Geopolitical tensions including the illegal ongoing Russian aggression on Ukraine represent one of the most dangerous moments for global security in decades. I am deeply concerned that world leaders are not united,” he added.Ki-moon further noted that the travel and tourism sector can play a crucial role in uniting the world.“The travel and tourism sector has a crucial role to play in ensuring cross-border collaboration, which will result in a peaceful and sustainable future, underpinned by justice, solidarity and prosperity,” Ki-moon added.Citing a UN World Food Program report, the former Secretary General warned that there will be at least 1.9 billion people who will be suffering from poverty, famine, and starvation by 2023.He went on and said that climate change is burning the earth, and humans will witness a sixth mass extinction in the next 100 years if sufficient climate actions are not taken.“Our planet is on fire, both literally and figuratively as the climate crisis is deepening with surging temperatures, raging floods, and rising sea levels. Climate change is approaching much faster than one may think,” said Ki-moon.He pointed out that business communities, with the help of governments, can play a pivotal part in changing the future of planet Earth.“Business communities can change the world in a better manner by investing wisely, thus achieving sustainable development goals and also helping implement the Paris climate agreement,” he said.
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- 8 December 2022
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Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel commemorates 20-year anniversary: 1,80...
23 November 2022World Council of ChurchesHeads of churches in Jerusalem, World Council of Churches leaders, partners, and friends gathered in Jerusalem to commemorate the 20-year anniversary of the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel.Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and IsraelWhile they commemorated 20 years of a programme that has given children and adults an added sense of security, they lamented that today’s circumstances in the Holy Land mean that accompaniment is still needed now more than ever.Nearly 100 guests gathered at Hotel Imperial in Jerusalem to meet, greet, and listen to local stories. Among the guests were heads of churches, member churches, ecumenical partners, Ecumenical Accompaniers, and Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel national coordinators.The event was opened by His Eminence Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina and WCC acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca. Among the speakers were also Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel national coordinators; Ecumenical Accompaniers; Bishop Ibrahim Azar, Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Holy Land and Jerusalem; and Rt. Rev. Dr Munib Younan, bishop emeritus of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan and the Holy Land.Sauca shared expressions of both joy and concern during his reflections on the occasion.“The worldwide ecumenical fellowship has always sought to be in active solidarity with the Christians of the Middle East, who are living in continuation of an unbroken line of faithful Christian witness in the multi-religious contexts of their countries, making vital contributions to the vibrant diversity and development of their societies,” said Sauca.“Upheavals, violent extremism using religion as justification, ongoing military occupations, discrimination and systematic violations of human rights, economic crises and corruption, absence of the rule of law, and other factors have contributed to an existential crisis for all in the region.”Sauca noted that this is particularly affecting vulnerable communities, including Christians who are facing displacement and mass migration.“We affirm that the best means of averting this threat is equal rights, inclusive citizenship, justice and dignity for all, without religious or racial discrimination,” he said.In 2002, the WCC founded the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel in response to a call by church leaders in the Holy Land.“The WCC, whose member churches represent about 580 million Christians worldwide, answered the call,” he said. “Earlier in 2002, residents of the small village of Yanoun were driven out of their homes by high levels of settler violence.”Israeli and international peace activists took action and decided to live in the village of Yanoun, hoping that the village residents would find it safe to come back. “Due to the protective presence provided by these activists, the residents of Yanoun were able to return,” Sauca recalled.This success served as inspiration and in 2002 the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel was born. WCC member churches have since recruited over 1,800 Ecumenical Accompaniers from 25 countries to serve 3-month terms in placements around the West Bank.Working closely with local communities, Israeli and Palestinian human rights groups, and international agencies, the programme has maintained a constant presence in the region ever since. WCC acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca shared expressions of both joy and concern during his reflections at the opening of the event in Jerusalem. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCCAnniversary greetings from far and wideThose who have worked with and supported the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel over the years took time to offer greetings and share memories about the programme.Bishop Dr Munib Younan, former president of the Lutheran World Federation, said that the idea of the programme is to “promote justice, peace and reconciliation in Palestine and Israel—and in the whole world.Younan added: “We have only to trust this God of justice. That’s my hope to the world.” Salpy Eskidjian, Office of the Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process, said that the situation on the ground in Palestine and Israel has not improved as they hoped 20 years ago—but has only changed.“The presence—as long as the member churches and as long as the local community feels it’s important—I would pray that the international, wider global ecumenical family would continue that protective presence,” she said. “It is really a joy that brings thankfulness and gratitude.”Over the years, many photos depict Ecumenical Accompaniers serving as a peaceful protective presence for Palestinian children walking to school.Eskidjian added that she hopes the programme continues to grow and continues make a difference in people’s lives.“My hope is a place where the two peoples and all faith communities would live together in peace,” she said.Sara Speicher, deputy general secretary of the World Association for Christian Communication, also recalled the days when the programme was first conceived. “The idea was first of all seen as and welcomed by the heads of churches and local Palestinian and Israeli groups as a tangible sign of the WCC’s concern but also hope that this accompaniment would show some solidarity, that it would give some security, and that it would raise awareness.”Sam Bahour, managing partner, Applied Information Management, Palestine, said ecumenical accompaniment is a lifesaving and life-changing experience. “This is saving lives because many times a foreign presence will be a deterrent for the Israeli occupying power or the illegal Israeli settlers to interfere with our daily lives.”Rev. Dr Owe Boersma, Referent Ecumenical Networks & Organizations, Bread for the World, said he considers the programme a success in exposing people in different contexts to the reality of the occupation and to work toward the end of it.“Unfortunately, the jubilee of 20 years coincides almost exactly with 55 years of occupation,” he said.Manuel Quintero Perez, former Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel coordinator, recalled the verse in 1 Corinthians, Chapter 12 that speaks about suffering.“When somebody suffers, the whole body suffers with it,” Perez said. “It was most excellent that WCC responded by organizing this programme, thereby allowing churches from many countries to be part of the suffering of the churches in the Holy Land,” he said.In the land where Jesus was born, we have so much hatred, Perez continued, and peace is a long-term process. “My only hope is that the ecumenical community will continue working with people there to find that solution.”WCC general secretary-elect Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay shared reflections as well.“Despite the hardship of Palestinians in the Holy Land, and that of the youth in particular, God remains the only constant in everything, and is the compass that guides us to our aspired goal,” he said. “Whatever we do in the struggle for justice, our concrete action should be seen as directed toward social transformation.” In other words, there needs to be a vision of an alternative society, Pillay suggested. “What does this mean in the context of the Israel-Palestine conflict?” he asked. “We have to continue on our joint pilgrimage of justice, reconciliation, and unity.”Carla Khijoyan, WCC programme executive for Peace Building in the Middle East, said that the occupation is not only illegal but unethical as well. “And just as there are moral dimensions of this conflict, there is a moral imperative for us as churches and Christians for how we respond,” she said, adding that serving as an Ecumenical Accompanier “is a lesson of resilience and resistance, of hope and dignity and integrity—a lesson that changes us forever.”
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- 30 November 2022
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$2 million in prizes awarded at COP27 to African youth-led businesses
November 11, 2022African Development Bank GroupTwenty African youth-led enterprises have won grant funding of up to $100,000 each in this year’s African Youth Adaptation Solutions Challenge (YouthADAPT) competition. In addition to the grant, each winner benefits from a 12-month accelerator program to help them grow their businesses, deepen their impact and create decent jobs.The annual competition and awards program for youth-led enterprises—which is 50% women-led—is jointly organized by the Global Center on Adaptation, the African Development Bank and Climate Investment Funds (CIF). The program is part of the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program YouthADAPT flagship pillar(link is external).The program boosts sustainable job creation by supporting entrepreneurship and youth-led innovations in climate change adaptation and resilience across Africa. The competition invites young entrepreneurs and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises in Africa to submit innovative solutions and business ideas that can drive climate change adaptation and resilience.Speaking at the awards ceremony, African Development Bank Group President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, said: “Africa’s needs cannot be ignored. The youth must be at the center of everything we are doing about climate change. No young person is too young to engage in climate dialogue. Our young people must be part of the solution. They are creative, dynamic, and engaging. They are futuristic and must be part of the solution for climate adaptation in Africa.“We want the youth to speak for Africa and develop solutions for the continent. For this initiative last year, we supported 10 youth-owned and youth-led businesses in Africa with $1 million. This year, we are supporting 20 businesses with $2 million. So, we can expect that next year, we will double efforts to $4 million dollars. That’s the way it’s going to go for Africa.”Adesina observed that 80% of the winners’ businesses were in agriculture. He said: “Agriculture is the future of Africa. As you know, that has been my gospel for many decades. The lowest bar is for Africa to feed itself. The high bar is for Africa to feed the world. Agriculture is a business. I encourage our young people to do three things: Create, Adapt and Prosper. CAP for short.”Norway’s Minister of International Development Anne Beathe Tvinnereim commended the enthusiasm that the competition generated among the youth. She said it is important to tailor climate solutions that could be scaled up for the various communities. “That is where the youth of Africa come in – you see the problem; you see the solutions and you have the energy and the resources to deliver and we want to help you with that,” She said. She commended the African Development Bank and the Global Adaptation Center for creating the initiative.Professor Patrick Verkooijen, CEO of the Global Center on Adaptation spoke about the impact of the award on one of last year’s winners, Juveline Ngum Ngwa from Bamenda in Cameroon who was able to scale up her business, Bleglee Waste Management. As a result of last year’s grant, she was able to open a second waste sorting factory and has developed further software for her drones which identify garbage which is blocking drainage systems.He remarked: “Adaptation is good business. But it needs to be at scale. And that is exactly what the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program – the AAAP – does. The AAAP is mobilizing $25 billion over five years to scale up and accelerate adaptation climate adaptation actions across Africa. And one of its four pillars is the YouthADAPT flagship program.”The winning enterprises of the Youth Adaptation Solutions Challenge 2022 come from all parts of the continent. Half are female led. They are scaling innovations in critical social and economic sectors affected by climate change. These include agriculture, waste management, water resources and sanitation, renewable energy and energy efficiency.The 2022 winners of the African Youth Adaptation Solutions Challenge are:· Flushh, Namibia· Green Impact Technologies, Malawi· AgriTech Analytics, Kenya· Baramoda, Egypt· Cassavita, Cameroon· Ecobarter, Nigeria· Farmer Lifeline Technologies, Kenya· Grocircular Agro Services, Nigeria· IRIBA Water Group Ltd, Rwanda· Mpatsa Engineering Company Limited (formerly Sustainable Water Irrigation and Farming Technologies), Malawi· Viva Organica, Botswana· Voltx for Engineering & Industries, Egypt· West African Feeds, Ghana· Kisumeo Organics Limited, Kenya· Agroexpert farming, Senegal· Eurl Algerienne Des Industries Technologiques, Algeria· Lono, Côte d\'Ivoire· Pazelgreen Technologies, Nigeria· Akatale On Cloud, Uganda· Multi-Tech Sustainable Solutions (MTTS), CameroonProgram organizers received 3,000 applications for this year’s competition. The top 50 were shortlisted to pitch their innovations before a jury.
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- 24 November 2022
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National Geographic Society CEO, Ban Ki-moon explore ways to save planet
November 7, 2022Korean Joongang DailyJill Tiefenthaler, CEO of the National Geographic Society, stressed the need to empower “change makers” on the front lines of the climate crisis, including scientists, educators and the media to deal with the “planetary emergency.” “Both climate change and biodiversity loss are the two biggest threats that we face in our world,” said Tiefenthaler in an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily and JoongAng Ilbo at the Westin Josun Hotel in central Seoul on Oct. 17. Earlier that day, Tiefenthaler had a luncheon meeting with former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, president of the Seoul-based Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and chairman of Ban Ki-moon Foundation for a Better Future. “We need to treat the climate and ecological emergencies as one planetary emergency”During their talks, Ban and Tiefenthaler focused on challenges facing the world including combatting climate change, achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and supporting women in science. “We need to treat the climate and ecological emergencies as one planetary emergency,” said Tiefenthaler. “They are two sides of the same coin. Global leaders, businesses and individuals can no longer address the climate and biodiversity crises separately.” Ban pointed to extreme weather events occurring in many parts of the world. He noted that Britain was a country that does not need air conditioning even in summer, but temperatures there exceeded 40 degrees Celsius this summer. In China, a drought caused water levels to drop in the Yangtze River, while in Pakistan, a third of the country was submerged in historic flooding this summer. “If we do not overcome the climate crisis, the frequency and intensity of natural disasters will increase,” said Ban. “In the face of such natural disasters, there are also apocalyptic predictions that the time of the sixth mass extinction will come about, when humans will become extinct.” The importance of addressing climate change should not get lostThe National Geographic Society is a non-profit scientific and educational organization founded in 1888 to increase geographic knowledge. It has a joint venture with the Walt Disney Company, the National Geographic Partners, which oversees commercial activities related to National Geographic, such as magazines and television channels. Tiefenthaler, an economist, comes from academia and previously served as the president of Colorado College and provost of Wake Forest University. She became the first woman CEO of the National Geographic Society in 2020. She said in her talks with Ban, they discussed “making sure that climate change and the importance of addressing it doesn’t get lost” amid other challenges that the world is facing including “geopolitical issues.” The National Geographic Society Asia Foundation was established in Korea 2015 to support Asian explorers and their research. During her visit to Seoul, Tiefenthaler met with 25 explorers from across the Asia-Pacific at the National Geographic Society Women’s Convening event.Original article: https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2022/11/06/national/environment/National-Geographic-Society-CEO-Jill-Tiefenthaler/20221106200827128.html
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- 24 November 2022
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African Development Bank secures $31 billion at investment forum
November 5, 2022ReutersThe African Development Bank raised $31 billion in investment commitments for projects during the Africa Investment Forum, said the bank’s president Akinwumi Adesina at the end of the three-day meeting on Friday.It brings the total investment for the year to about $64 billion, said Adesina. The bank secured $32.8 billion at another meeting with investors in March.Adesina gave few details about the projects but said one focus would be agricultural processing zones.Projects announced earlier in the year were from sectors including agriculture and agro-processing, education, energy and climate, healthcare, minerals and mining, and information and communications technology.
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- 24 November 2022
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Buhari meet Ban Ki-moon, says Nigeria facing climate change challenges
October 25, 2022VanguardPresident Muhammadu Buhari has said that the recent flooding, desert encroachment and drought being experienced in various parts of the country are all negative fallouts of climate change.In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, Buhari made this known while during an audience he granted the former United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, on the sidelines of the First World Bio Summit 2022 in Seoul, South Korea.According to the statement which is titled ‘Nigeria facing climate change challenges, President Buhari declares during meeting with Ban Ki-Moon in Seoul’, the president appreciated the existing cooperation between Nigeria and the Republic of Korea, especially in the aspect of gas exports to the Asian country.Buhari also highlighted education as a critical investment in addressing unemployment and underdevelopment, calling for a closer focus on health challenges.In his remarks, the former UN Chief who advocates Climate Change remediation and chairs the Ban Ki-moon Foundation for Better Future sympathised with the President over the flooding.Ki-moon called for more investment to improve education and avert environmental degradation and preventive diseases to meet the core Sustainable Development Goals.He appreciated Buhari for attending the World Bio Summit, adding that his presence would highlight the importance of global action and cooperation in developing vaccines and technology to meet the huge threat and challenges of pandemics.Ki-moon also noted that Nigeria is “a very important country,” having prominent citizens occupying sensitive positions in global organizations.Therefore, he called for more people-to-people engagements and cultural cooperation between both countries even as he sought Nigeria’s support in Korea’s bid to host an EXPO in 2030.Explaining his pet project, the ex-UN Scribe said his Global Centre on Adaptation is trying to mobilize resources to help developing countries fight climate change.He urged donor countries to fulfill their financial commitments to the Global Climate Fund.Buhari and his guest also discussed the role of gender equality in attaining a prosperous society while calling for an end to the war in Ukraine.
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- 3 November 2022
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Ban Ki-moon to speak at the inaugural World Bio Summit co-hosted by South Korea and WHO
October 21, 2022Yeonhap NewsSEOUL, Oct. 21 (Yonhap) — South Korea and the World Health Organization (WHO) will co-host the inaugural World Bio Summit next week to share the latest technological improvements in vaccines and the bio-health industry and discuss ways to increase preparedness for future pandemics, Seoul’s health ministry said Friday.Under the theme of “The Future of Vaccine and Bio-health,” the World Bio-Summit 2022 will take place next Thursday and Friday in Seoul, with hundreds of leaders from international health organizations and global enterprises, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, will give opening remarks online, while former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Jerome Kim, director general of the International Vaccine Institute, will deliver speeches in person.In the CEO’s sessions on the first day, officials of vaccine and bio companies, including SK bioscience, Moderna and Pfizer, will gather their expertise in developing COVID-19 vaccines and seek solutions to tackle potential challenges.On the second day, health ministers from six countries, including South Korea, the United States, Nigeria and Germany, will adopt the Seoul Declaration, committing to getting fully ready for future pandemics based on international cooperation.“During the COVID-19 pandemic, South Korea has been emerging as a hub in the bio health industry,” said Kim Hyun-sook of the health ministry. “The inaugural World Bio Summit will help Korea take the international initiative in shaping ideas of the future of vaccine and biologics.”
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- 27 October 2022
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Gavi, Moderna update COVAX supply agreement; agree on access to variant-containing vaccines for l...
17 October 2022reliefwebGavi, the Vaccine Alliance announced today that it had signed an agreement with Moderna related to the supply of COVID-19 vaccines to lower-income countries supported by the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC). Under the agreement, Gavi and Moderna agree to cancel remaining volumes under their previous agreement in 2022, and establish a framework for lower-income countries to access doses of variant-containing vaccine (VCV) beginning in 2023. Gavi will have the right to access up to 100 million VCV doses, at Moderna\'s lowest tiered price, on behalf of AMC participants.\"This agreement with Moderna represents a critical step for equitable access, helping COVAX adjust its portfolio to current demand and ensuring lower income countries have access to variant-containing vaccines to use where appropriate,\" said Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, which leads procurement and delivery at scale for COVAX.In the two years since the first COVID-19 vaccine received WHO emergency approval in December 2020, COVAX has delivered 1.8 billion doses to 146 countries around the world -- the largest and fastest public health rollout in history. This includes nearly 186 million doses of the Moderna vaccine, through both the advance purchase agreement with Moderna and dose donations. This effort has enabled 92 lower-income countries to protect, on average, more than 50% of their populations with two doses of COVID-19 vaccine -- and protect the majority of those at highest risk such as health care workers and the elderly.\"Gavi and our COVAX partners have been pivotal in ensuring the global supply of COVID-19 vaccines, leading the largest and most rapid vaccine rollout in history,\' said Stéphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer of Moderna. \"We are proud of our role in this endeavor and will continue to support COVAX\'s mission to ensure broad, affordable, and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines across low- and middle-income countries as we move towards a world where COVID-19 is endemic.\"A key element to COVAX\'s ability to deploy COVID-19 vaccines at a historically high rate has been its ability to adapt to an unpredictable and rapidly changing pandemic environment. This latest agreement is part of an on-going effort to actively manage COVAX\'s portfolio to meet countries\' evolving needs and be prepared for unexpected future scenarios by rephasing, resizing and updating supply agreements with manufacturers and donors.Recognising that countries\' needs are still constantly changing, COVAX has also updated its allocation model so that AMC participants can now request -- and be rapidly allocated -- doses at any time. To-date, COVAX has been able to make doses available for 100% of the country requests received through this \"rolling allocation\" process.
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- 27 October 2022
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U.S.-based Foundation for Democracy awards African Development Bank’s Akinwumi Adesina for exem...
October 15, 2022African Development Bank GroupU.S.-based Foundation for Democracy in Africa, an advocacy and research think tank, has conferred its topmost Medal of Glory Award on African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina for his exemplary leadership.The Medal of Glory Award is the Foundation’s highest honor, given annually for extraordinary contributions to democracy, good governance, and the advancement of trade, investment and cultural ties in Africa.For Adesina, the award selection committee recognized, in particular, the bank Group’s Covid-19 response “that provided African Governments and the private sector with critical financial help on debt relief and a fiscal stimulus package that ensured continuity of government and provision of social goods during the darkest months and years of the global pandemic in Africa.”Senior Advisor on Communication at the African Development Bank Group, Dr. Victor Oladokun, received the award on Adesina’s behalf at the Foundation’s annual AfrICANDO 2022 conference and exhibition held in Miami, Florida, on October 13.Dr. Oladokun commended the Foundation’s leadership for its consistent advocacy for Africa, especially in building investment bridges between the U.S. and the continent. He also thanked the award selection committee for recognizing the transformative work of Adesina and the Bank Group.“This Medal of Glory Award is an inspiration to bring greater glory to Africa. I want to assure you that Dr. Adesina will continue to do that, and so will the African Development Bank Group,” the senior advisor said.He called on the Foundation, its affiliates, and global delegates to support the Bank’s initiatives for addressing climate change and food security. He also urged the international community to rally behind the bank’s advocacy for a portion of the IMF’s additional Special Drawing Rights to help build resilience in Africa.Dr. Oladokun stressed: “Africa faces an existential crisis that is not of its own making. We must therefore translate visionary leadership into concrete action.”The Foundation also awarded three local government commissioners in Florida for their dedicated public service. It also presented a posthumous award for a retired media specialist for a lifetime commitment to community service.The annual AfrICANDO conference brings producers from sub-Saharan Africa under one roof to showcase their exportable products to importers, business leaders, investment promotion authorities, policymakers, and ambassadors from Africa.This year’s event focused on health security, climate and food security, and tourism. It comprises seminars, business-to-business matchmaking, and exhibitions. It was crowned with a gala awards dinner at the Hilton Airport and Convention Center, Miami.Past recipients of the Medal of Glory Award include late Malawi President Bingu Wa Mutharika; former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo; Senator Connie Mack of Florida, Dr. Dorothy Height, President of the National Council of Negro Women; former Senegalese Presidents Abdou Diouf and Abdoulaye Wade, former Malian President Alpha Omar Konare; and Dr. Mo Ibrahim, founder of Mo Ibrahim Foundation.
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- 19 October 2022
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The Ban Ki-moon Foundation and Stanford’s Asia-Pacific Research Center Launch Trans-Pacific Sus...
October 12, 2022StanfordThe Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center (APARC) at Stanford University and the Ban Ki-moon Foundation For a Better Future announced today the launch of an annual Trans-Pacific Sustainability Dialogue in Asia to accelerate progress on achieving the United Nations-adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The joint project will spur new research and policy partnerships between experts from the United States and Asia to expedite the implementation of the Agenda’s underlying 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by governments and non-state actors. The two-day inaugural Dialogue will be held in Seoul, Republic of Korea, on October 27 and 28, 2022, and will be free and open to the public.The Dialogue’s co-organizers include the Natural Capital Project (NatCap) of Stanford University, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, Korea Environmental Industry and Technology Institute (KEITI), Korea Environment Corporation (K-eco), and Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water). The Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Korea is the event’s sponsor. The first day will take place at The Plaza Seoul and will be co-hosted by the Korea Environment Institute. It will include a series of public sessions headlined by Ban Ki-moon, the eighth secretary-general of the UN, who will join a lineup of world leaders including Kevin Rudd, former prime minister of Australia and chief executive officer and president of the Asia Society; Iván Duque, former president of the Republic of Colombia; and Gombojav Zandanshatar, chairman of the State Great Hural (Parliament) of Mongolia.“This Dialogue is very timely and relevant as the climate crisis is deepening in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Sustainable Development Goals are becoming more difficult to achieve in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic,” says Mr. Ban Ki-moon. “Asia-Pacific countries should be more aggressive in the fight against climate change and more audacious in the role they play toward achieving the SDGs,” he noted.In this spirit, expert discussions on the second day will bring together social science researchers and scientists from across the Asia-Pacific region, alongside policymakers and practitioners, to share local and global nature-positive solutions and new pathways of meaningful SDG acceleration actions. Co-hosted by and held at Ewha Womans University, the panel discussions will explore the making of livable, sustainable cities, such as Busan Metropolitan City, and the threats to them by climate change, disasters, and human security issues. To achieve systems transformation and sustainable development, discussions will turn to the need to value and invest in nature.“Climate and sustainability solutions span disciplines and sectors and require collaboration with partners worldwide,” says Gi-Wook Shin, the William J. Perry Professor of Contemporary Korea at Stanford and director of APARC. “The launch of the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability marks an opportune moment to scale up SDGs implementation by leveraging knowledge and expertise from across Stanford and the Asia-Pacific and engaging the next generation of scholars and experts,” Shin adds. “We are honored to join in this effort with Mr. Ban and his team, with whom APARC has an established relationship.”Highlighting the role of youth in achieving the SDGs, the Dialogue includes student panels that feature young leaders from Stanford University, Ewha Womans University, Osaka University, and De La Salle University, among other Asian universities. Students’ research, applied work, and entrepreneurial endeavors across the region showcase innovations and transformations in green financing and sustainable investments, gender mainstreaming and climate governance, development cooperation for sustainable governance, and scaling environmental solutions through a business and social justice lens.The Seoul Trans-Pacific Sustainability Dialogue is the inaugural event in APARC and the Ban Ki-moon Foundation’s joint effort to stimulate ambitious action to deliver the 2030 Agenda and SDGs. The annual Dialogue may rotate among different host cities in Asia to address different themes selected from the SDGs framework spearheaded by Mr. Ban Ki-moon during his term as the UN Secretary-General.About the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research CenterThe Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center (Shorenstein APARC) addresses critical issues affecting the countries of Asia, their regional and global affairs, and U.S.-Asia relations. As Stanford University’s hub for the interdisciplinary study of contemporary Asia, APARC produces policy-relevant research, provides education and training to students, scholars, and practitioners, and strengthens dialogue and cooperation between counterparts in the Asia-Pacific and the United States. Founded in 1983, APARC today is home to a scholar community of distinguished academics and practitioners in government, business, and civil society, who specialize in trends that cut across the entire Asia-Pacific region. For more, visit aparc.stanford.edu.About the Ban Ki-moon Foundation For a Better FutureThe Ban Ki-moon Foundation For a Better Future follows and further develops the achievement and philosophy of Ban Ki-moon, the 8th Secretary General of the United Nations through upholding the values of unification, communication and co-existence, and dedication. It promotes three pillars of the UN including peace and security, development, and human rights and contributes to making a better future devoid of conflict and deficiency. In particular, the Ban Ki-moon Foundation actively collaborates with the UN, international organizations, and stakeholders toward achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and realizing the 2050 carbon net-zero of all state parties of the Paris Climate Accord of 2015. For more, visit http://eng.bf4bf.or.kr/.
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- 19 October 2022
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African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina Awarded Man of the Year (Africa) in 2022 By E...
all Africa6 October 2022African Development Bank President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has been named 2022 Man of the Year (Africa) by Exclusive Men of the Year (EMY), for his visionary leadership as the president of the African Development Bank Group and for his outstanding contribution to Africa during his period as agriculture minister of Nigeria.The EMY awards are organized by the EMY Africa Magazine, \"a premier men\'s magazine that addresses the people, places, ideas and issues that shape men\'s personal expressions, development and experiences.\"\"When we look around, we see different people making their contributions to society. We know Africa is going to be Africa if we harness our agricultural value and go up the value chain. One man has stood up for his inspiration, for his motivation and for making us believe with a vision and strategy that we can achieve this,\" said UN Resident Coordinator in Ghana, Charles Abani, who announced the prize during a ceremony held on 1 October in Accra, Ghana.As Minister of Agriculture in Nigeria from 2011 to 2015, Adesina is credited with turning the agriculture sector of Nigeria around within four years. Under his tenure, Nigeria ended 40 years of corruption in the fertilizer sector by developing and implementing an innovative electronic wallet system, which directly provided farmers with subsidized farm inputs at scale using their mobile phones. Within the first four years of its launch, this electronic wallet system reached 15 million farmers.With Adesina at the helm, the African Development Bank Group achieved the highest capital increase since its establishment in 1964. On 31 October 2019, shareholders from 80 member countries raised the general capital from $93 billion to a historic $208 billion.Adesina has also led other achievements such as the Bank\'s bold and swift response to the Covid-19 pandemic with the launch of a landmark $3 billion Covid-19 Social Bond followed by a Crisis Response Facility of up to $10 billion. In May this year, the African Development Bank Group\'s Board of Directors approved a $1.5 billion Emergency Food Production Facility to help tackle the global food crisis sparked by the Russian-Ukraine conflict. The funds will help 20 million African farmers produce an extra 38 million metric tons of food to address growing fears of starvation and food insecurity on the continent.In announcing the Man of The Year (Africa) award, EMY recognized Dr Adesina\'s contribution as \"a bold reformer\" and \"globally renowned development economist and agriculture development expert, with more than 30 years of experience in development.\"Since 2016, EMY Africa has celebrated the best in men\'s achievements across local industry, community, culture and public service. Past recipients of the EMY Africa Awards have been inspirational men with accomplished or promising careers who have made important contributions to life in African communities.Receiving the award on behalf of Dr. Adesina, African Development Bank Ghana Country manager for Ghana Eyerusalem Fasika thanked the EMY team and all the partners for the recognition.
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- 12 October 2022
- Sunhak Peace Prize
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Future generations refer not only to our own physical descendants
but also to all future generations to come.Since all decisions made by the current generation will either positively
or negatively affect them, we must take responsibility for our actions.
