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Primordiality of global solidarity

By Ioan Voicu - posted Thursday, 24 December 2020


In the opinion of the EU "Such a treaty should be agreed within the framework of the World Health Organization, which is the cornerstone of international cooperation against pandemics: it would complement and reinforce our action. The other international organizations and agencies concerned should also be involved. What should the objective of this treaty be? The objective is to do better. To do better in all the areas in which we have observed that we need to reinforce our cooperation".

Some of these areas have been further specified by Charles Michel including : Monitor the risks more effectively; Better finance and coordinate research; Alert and share information more effectively; Improve access to healthcare.

The ideas formulated in connection with the above mentioned areas " could serve as pointers in negotiating this international treaty on pandemics". The EU conclusion is a strong appeal: " Let us mobilize, pool our experiences, learn the lessons, and take the right decisions so that we help make the world and humanity more just and more resilient".

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While some journalists wrote ironically about "creaking multilateralism" when dealing with the UNGA special session, some observers noticed that with the exception of European Council President Charles Michel proposal of a global pandemic treaty, modeled after the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control - the leaders' pre-recorded video speeches at this session mostly rehashed 2020 breakthroughs and regrets.

Universalization of the right to health

The proposal for negotiating a global pandemic treaty,- a multilateral legal instrument which would contribute to the universalization of the right to health- is a highly valuable initiative. In this regard, on the basis of previous experiences, it should be reminded that the finalization of such a treaty could be better achieved, in a more accelerated manner, by establishing a special UN working group composed of representatives from all geographical regions and empowered with an appropriate mandate.

With reference to a similar experience , it is useful to remind that the WHO negotiations of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control started in 1995 and the Convention entered into force only on 27 February 2005.

Just a noble ideal ?

Meanwhile, nobody should minimize the fact that the world leaders participating virtually in the UNGA special session clearly demanded in December 2020 urgent multilateral action to guarantee equitable distribution of life-saving vaccines in the global fight against Covid-19 on the basis of solidarity.

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While emphasizing all these ideas, it is necessary to keep in mind that the session has not addressed an abstract appeal, but strongly invited the world community of nations to specific actions to convert the duty of solidarity into a tangible reality at the global level.

However, because political fragmentation is present and visible not only at the global level, but also at the national and even local levels, during the current times genuine solidarity remains in many circumstances just a noble ideal, while in fact it is expected to play a primordial role in the daily struggle against a devastating pandemic.

This situation should not, however, lead to fatalism, but, on the contrary, should inspire more robust and permanent efforts to give real tangibility to the value of solidarity.

On 14 December 2020 the UNGA adopted the annual resolution entitled "Global health and foreign policy: strengthening health system resilience through affordable health care for all." By its terms, the UNGA urged member states to strengthen national systems through ensuring affordable health care for all and called upon them to strengthen their resilience as an integral part of their preparedness for related emergencies. More specifically, it also called upon member states to support funding for the Access to COVID‑19 Tools Accelerator (ACT‑Accelerator), as well as the equitable distribution of diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines.

Introducing this resolution, Indonesia reminded that access to quality and affordable health care for everyone and everywhere is an essential priority for international development. Global solidarity and unity on this issue is more important than ever before.

In this respect, the celebration on 20 December 2020 of the International Human Solidarity Day represented an additional auspicious occasion to intensify collective action to win the war against Covid-19 and bring humanity closer to the universal recognition of the primordiality of global solidarity.

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About the Author

Dr Ioan Voicu is a Visiting Professor at Assumption University in Bangkok

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