ROME/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Leaders of the world s 20 largest economies are set to commit to supporting efforts to shorten to 100 days the period needed to develop new vaccines, drugs and tests in a pandemic, according to a draft joint document. In normal circumstances developing vaccines takes more than a decade, but the COVID-19 pandemic spurred an unprecedented rush in research, trials and regulatory procedures that made it possible to have vaccines ready in less than a year. Now G20 leaders want that period to be cut further. In health emergencies caused by pandemics we will support science to shorten the cycle for the development of safe and effective vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics from 300 to 100 days, says a draft statement seen by Reuters that G20 leaders are set to adopt over the weekend at a summit in Rome. The draft is still subject to last-minute changes, but officials said that this commitment is expected to remain unchanged. (Reporting By jan Strupczewski and France
ROME (Reuters) -United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned on Friday that the world was rushing headlong towards climate disaster, and said leaders of the Group of 20 wealthy nations must do more to help poorer countries. Speaking on the eve of a summit of G20 leaders, Guterres told reporters there were dangerous levels of mistrust between nations and said he hoped the forthcoming two-day meeting would help overcome that. Guterres urged the G20 to funnel more funds to impoverished countries, including via debt relief, and boost their access to COVID-19 vaccinations. He added that the economic recovery from the pandemic was amplifying inequalities. This is immoral, he said. He also called on rich economies to make good on a longstanding commitment to provide $100 billion a year to help the developing world tackle the growing threat posed by climate change. Unfortunately, the message to developing countries is essentially this, the cheque is in the mail. On all our climate
ROME (Reuters) - Activists from charity groups on Friday held a flash mob in Rome ahead of the G20 leaders summit, calling on leaders of the world s biggest economies to end inequalities between nations in access to COVID-19 treatments and vaccines. Activists assembled around a coffin with a banner reading 5,000,000 deaths symbolising worldwide victims of the disease. What we demand from the G20 is to distribute existing vaccines in a more just way so everybody has access to vaccines, no matter where he or she lives, G20 co-ordinator for Oxfam, Jorn Kalinsky, told Reuters. Two demonstrators wore suits, white masks and signs around their neck reading pharma CEO as they threw fake money on the street. Another demonstrator carried a red sign saying: I want a people s vaccine, not a profit vaccine . Oxfam, Amnesty International and the Italian group Emergency urged G20 leaders to find immediate solutions to save lives, saying a suspension of vaccine patents help boost production and help
ROME (Reuters) - President Emmanuel Macron said his meeting with President Joe Biden on Friday would allow France and the United States rebuilt to rebuild trust following a rift over an Indo-Pacific security pact, and that it was key to look to the future. The two leaders shared a warm handshake for the cameras after Biden kept Macron waiting for more than one and a half hours, before sitting down to talks over climate, counter-terrorism in West Africa and European defence. What really matters now is what we do together in the coming weeks, in the coming months, Macron said in opening remarks at France s embassy to the Vatican. It s an important meeting because after the AUKUS affair, we have embarked on a veritable joint project, Macron said, referring to the acronym for the security pact Washington signed with Britain and Australia. Macron and his government were left infuriated by the deal which resulted in Canberra scrapping a mega-defence deal for French submarines. At the time, M
ROME (Reuters) - Activists from charity groups on Friday held a flash mob in Rome ahead of the G20 leaders summit, calling on leaders of the world s biggest economies to end inequalities between nations in access to COVID-19 treatments and vaccines. Activists assembled around a coffin with a banner reading 5,000,000 deaths symbolising worldwide victims of the disease. What we demand from the G20 is to distribute existing vaccines in a more just way so everybody has access to vaccines, no matter where he or she lives, G20 co-ordinator for Oxfam, Jorn Kalinsky, told Reuters. Two demonstrators wore suits, white masks and signs around their neck reading pharma CEO as they threw fake money on the street. Another demonstrator carried a red sign saying: I want a people s vaccine, not a profit vaccine . Oxfam, Amnesty International and the Italian group Emergency urged G20 leaders to find immediate solutions to save lives, saying a suspension of vaccine patents help boost production and help