NEW DELHI: The G20 task force under India’s presidency will continue collaborating between Finance and Health ministries for ‘Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response’. The decision was reached during the first Joint Finance and Health Task Force Meeting.
The meeting took place in virtual mode and was attended by Finance and Health representatives from G20 member and invited countries, along with the international organisations. It was co-chaired by Italy and Indonesia. The members reiterated the mandate set during the Bali Summit calling for an extension of the task force.
During the Indonesian presidency, specifically in the Bali’s Leaders’ Declaration, it was agreed that the Joint Task Force will continue functioning and collaborating between Finance and Health ministries.
The Task Force Secretariat worked with the Indian presidency and CoChairs Italy and Indonesia to draft the work plan for 2023 and beyond. It has been designed keeping in mind the Indian presidency’s Global Health Priorities for 2023. The work plan thus prepared was presented for adoption during the meeting.
According to an official statement released after the conclusion of the meeting, “The members expressed commitment to the Task Force’s mandate of contributing to strengthening global health architecture for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response and working with the Secretariat and the Co-Chairs on achieving the deliverables for 2023.”
This was the third meeting of the Finance Track under India’s G20 presidency after the meetings of the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Deputies (December 13-14) and Framework Group meeting in Bengaluru (December 17, 2022).
The First Framework Working Group Meeting of the Finance Track deliberated on the problem plaguing the global economy due to inflation and recession post-pandemic. It also discussed issues pertaining to climate change and targets under energy transition. The discussion also revolved around macro policy tools to mitigate short term and medium term challenges.
The Joint Finance and Health Task Force was established during the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Rome, 2021.
It is aimed at enhancing dialogue and global cooperation on issues relating to pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (PPR). It seeks to promote the exchange of experiences and best practices and coordination between Finance and Health Ministries. It aims to promote collective action and assess and address health emergencies with cross-border impact. In the process, it encourages the effective utilisation of resources to tackle the challenges of the pandemic while adopting a ‘One Health’ approach.
