France to redirect 20% of its allocation from the International Monetary Fund to support African countries.
RegionWeek Newsletter Vol V, Issue #190 | Monday, Spetember 27, 2021
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Dear RegionWeek Reader,
France will release 20% of its Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) in addition to pledging 60 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to COVAX. It was announced by President Emmanuel Macron at the sideline of Global Citizen Live, a 24-hour global event starting on September 25 to unite the world to defend the planet and defeat poverty.
In a video, French President, Emmanuel Macron announced his country's pledge to increase the number of COVID-19 vaccine doses donated, from 60 million to 120 million, to help combat massive global vaccine inequity, and to further support UNICEF in helping administer vaccines too.
He further commits France to redirect 20% of its allocation from the International Monetary Fund to support countries across Africa in a green recovery; and to committed 333 million euros to support the Global Partnership for Education, for girls' education.
Reacting to President Emmanuel Macron’s message, the President of African Development Bank Group Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina tweeted:
“I applaud the great leadership of President Emmanuel Macron to provide to Africa 20% of France’s share of $650 billion Special Drawing Rights issued by the IMF. You promised and delivered. Great example. Bravo President”
The Special Drawing Rights will be used to fund COVID-19 vaccines, investment in economic recovery, and access to life-saving medical treatments.
The European Union has committed to distributing 500 million doses. And China's President Xi Jinping, in a video message broadcast to the UN on Tuesday, pledged a total of two billion doses by the end of the year, repeating a figure already given by the Chinese authorities.
According to the Global Citizen campaign to defend the planet and defeat poverty, forty-one million people are on the brink of famine due to the hunger pandemic, reversing decades of progress on the United Nations’ Global Globals. Additionally, more than 1.5 billion children have also been affected by COVID-19 school closures globally, impairing the learning of marginalized children, especially those living in conflict or crisis.
Eradicating extreme poverty, in all its forms, is the greatest global challenge of our time.
Global Citizen notes that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this crisis, pushing an additional 115 million people into extreme poverty in 2020 alone. To meet this goal, Germany and the European Commission collectively announced €75 million to Education Cannot Wait, IFAD announced pledges from 17 countries totaling US$23.7 million towards its critical work across the planet, and a US$275 in pledges to CGIAR from Belgium, Netherlands, and the European Commission was announced during Global Citizen Live, among key pledges to combat extreme poverty.
“Hunger has tightened its grip on millions of vulnerable families around the world due to COVID-19. WFP is grateful to Global Citizen Live for raising awareness of this unprecedented crisis in an effort to mobilize global action against hunger,” said David Beasley, Executive Director, United Nations World Food Programme.
Global Citizen Live featured a remarkable lineup of world leaders, advocates, and artists supporting the campaign and its mission to end extreme poverty. Across seven continents, tens of thousands of Global Citizens were in attendance over 24 hours, as millions streamed the live broadcast event globally.
As a result of the hard work of many partner organizations, the Global Citizen Live campaign announced: 157 million trees, including 77 million trees by 2022; and more than US$300M to defend the planet
BURUNDI IN THE HEADLINES
Burundi’s President speech at UN
The President of Burundi Evariste Ndayishimiye said on Thursday that, 60 years after the country’s independence, “the restoration of peace, security, stability, and social cohesion are a reality” in the African nation, writes UN News.
The Head of State was speaking at UN Headquarters on the third day of the high-level week of the General Assembly. After being held virtually last year, this year’s gathering features “hybrid” activities that include leaders in person along with virtual participants.
On the issue of good governance and social justice, he said “the fight against corruption, economic embezzlement and the fight against impunity are among the priorities of the Government.”
Turning to peace and security, he said it is “undeniable” that the international community has had some successes fighting terrorism, but it must recognize that it is “far from having developed a common, adequate and effective strategy to annihilate this scourge.”
“Beyond the necessary military action, the effective fight against terrorism includes a fight against radicalization, which is rooted in ignorance, poverty, youth unemployment, and illiteracy,” he argued.
Burundian Poetess Kerry Gladys Ntirampeba performed at Global Live Concert
Burundian Kerry Gladys Ntirampeba was Saturday on the same stage as Ed Sheeran, DJ Snake, Angélique Kidjo, Usher, Jennifer Lopez, Tiwa Savage, Billie Eilish, Grand Corps Malade, and others during a concert held at the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Aged 23, winner of the National Slam-Poetry Championship in 2020.
Check Kerry’s performance via this link
Thanks for reading
Fabrice Iranzi, Editor in Chief | RegionWeek.com
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