International development cooperation: three political commitments to make a difference
13/09/2021
The LINK 2007 document , which indicates three political commitments to make a difference in this complex historical phase , is addressed to the Prime Minister Draghi, to the ministers Di Maio and Franco and to the presidents of the Senate Alberti Casellati and of the Fico Chamber . In fact, disparities and inequalities have increased in the world, aggravated by a pan-crisis which, with the pandemic, is affecting countries already burdened by the weight of debt and various calamities deriving from climate change, fueling poverty, forced migration, armed conflicts, suffering for hundreds of millions of people.
Convert the debt of developing countries in difficulty , finalizing resources in local currency for investments on precise objectives of the 2030 Agenda, facilitate the production and dissemination of vaccines by implementing the TRIPs agreements which provide for the overcoming of intellectual property and patents for public health needs, gradually but regularly increase resources for public development cooperation (PSC) by defining the allocation of 0.70% of GNI by 2030 . These are the three goals proposed by LINK 2007 that Italy can promote in the competent fora: G20, EU, WTO and in the 2022-2024 budget law. Three components that intertwine and which, together, have the strength to make a difference.
” It is now time to agree on a debt conversion of developing countries that allocates the relative amounts in local currency to investments aimed at creating new jobs and achieving sustainable development goals” claims Roberto Ridolfi, president of LINK 2007 . « It could thus allow the implementation of resilience and human development projects in key sectors within the framework of local political choices, involving both the public and private sectors. LINK 2007 presented the G-20 RELEASE proposal to the presidency of the G20, finding the particular attention of many African countries ».
Humans are affected unequally by the Covid-19 pandemic, and the planet’s poor are the hardest hit . Some countries are at risk of collapse if the spread of the pandemic is not stopped. The reality of vaccine administration shows a frightening gap : while in high-income countries 60% of the population is completing the second dose and for some groups the third is being planned, in low-income countries this figure is only 1 .4% . «This gap must be filled as soon as possible, if we do not want to risk a new wave caused by new variants, with possible consequences on the current economic recovery. The health emergency and the economic crisis, especially for fragile countries, are two sides of the same coin. Therefore, a global approach to the issue of health is needed » reads the document.
The United Nations, with the EU and the G20 countries have launched the Covax Facility aimed at guaranteeing by the end of 2021 the supply of two billion doses of vaccine to one billion people, about a quarter of the population of the poorest countries. Covax will still be insufficient. It is therefore necessary to support the request made to the WTO by India and South Africa, supported by more than one hundred countries, to give member countries the power not to grant or apply patents related to drugs and vaccines against the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and its variants until global immunity is achieved. So far the richest countries, including the European Commission and EU governments, have opposed: « To defend which particular interests? »wonders LINK 2007. The suspension of intellectual property does not mean the immediate availability of additional vaccines in poor countries, but it would make it possible to speed up their production, distribution and administration, also decreasing their costs.
In matters of international cooperation for development, the budget laws of recent years express the minimum that is imposed on Italy by belonging as a member of the G7 to the international community. « Annual allocations for public development cooperation (PSC) have decreased over the past four years. On the other hand, government promises and commitments for an increase in resources up to 0.70% of GNI, repeatedly guaranteed and repeatedly withdrawn, abound. No political coherence. We denounce it because it affects the credibility of our country ». By presenting precise tables on the funding of the CPS over the past four years, LINK 2007 calls for words to be transformed into deeds and for from the next budget law up to that of 2030, a progression is established which from 0.30 of GNI will bring the appropriations definitively to 0.70% in compliance with the commitments undertaken internationally and in the interest of our country.
The press review
AgenSIR Aid for development: Link 2007’s NGOs ask the Italian government for three commitments | AgentSIR
Vita Cooperation for development, three political commitments to make a difference (09/14/2021) – Vita.it
Africa Rivista Three proposals from Link2007 to enhance cooperation | Africa magazine (africarivista.it)
InfoAfrica InfoAfrica | Three proposals from Link2007 to enhance cooperation
Jambo Africa Jambo Africa: Three proposals from Link 2007 to enhance Cooperation in Africa (typepad.com)