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![EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen had called the online conference]()
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EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen had called the online conference
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Chancellor Angela Merkel promised 525 million euros at the international donor conference on Monday and said: “It is an hour of hope.”
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![Only the world power USA around Donald Trump was missing in the global effort for cheap vaccines and medicines for everyone.]()
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Only the world power USA around Donald Trump was missing in the global effort for cheap vaccines and medicines for everyone.
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![The targeted 7.5 billion euros are only a kind of down payment anyway. The United Nations estimates that it will take five times to really make vaccines and medicines available to billions of people - around 40 billion euros.]()
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The targeted 7.5 billion euros are only a kind of down payment anyway. The United Nations estimates that it will take five times to really make vaccines and medicines available to billions of people – around 40 billion euros.
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Europe, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia: In the fight against Corona, heads of state and government from around the world have pledged several billion euros to search for vaccines and drugs to jointly defeat the deadly virus. Chancellor Angela Merkel alone promised 525 million euros at an international donor conference on Monday and said: “It is an hour of hope.” Only the world power USA was missing in the global effort for cheap vaccines and medicines for everyone.
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EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen convened the online conference and moderated the ad on all continents enthusiastically and with an unwavering smile. At the start, she herself committed a billion euros for the EU Commission – a big step towards the official daily target of 7.5 billion euros. Then it continued every minute: $ 850 million from Canada, $ 500 million from France, £ 388 million from the UK, $ 192 million from the Netherlands, $ 140 million from Italy and so on.
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Switzerland contributed CHF 18 million. In her message, Federal President Simonetta Sommaruga emphasized how important it is that states worldwide have access to diagnostics, medication and later also to vaccinations, such as the Swiss Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communication (DETEC) writes in a communication. Solidarity beyond health care is also needed, the Federal President said. It would not help to save people from the pandemic if they subsequently died of poverty and hunger.
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According to the UN, it takes 40 billion euros
At times there was confusion about the numbers, because the EU Commission, on the way to the total, also accepted commitments that had been made since January 30. In some cases it was not clear what was supposed to flow in fresh money, what had long been planned and what might be stretched over years. But the targeted 7.5 billion euros are only a kind of down payment anyway. The United Nations estimates that it will take five times to really make vaccines and medicines available to billions of people – around 40 billion euros. Another conference is to follow at the end of May.
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The main message of the event was different: we pull together and join forces against the invisible enemy. Many of the participants found moving, sometimes pathetic words. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who had just recovered from Covid-19, spoke of “the most urgent common cause of our lives”.
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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: “When a storm comes, people want to duck away with their friends, family, and wait until it’s over. But we cannot isolate ourselves. We cannot hope that others are doing well while we take care of ourselves. We have to take care of ourselves and the rest of the world. »
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Trump has its own corona program
Canada’s southern neighbor USA probably did not want to represent it so aggressively: The government of US President Donald Trump stayed out of the donor conference. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo only had one message, one welcomes the efforts of the others. A senior US government official in Washington – at the same time as the donor conference in Brussels – added that the organizations concerned there also received a lot of money from the US government. And: “Our cooperation with our European partners as well as with partners around the world remains extremely robust.”
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Trump had launched its own program a few days ago to develop a warp-speed vaccine and make hundreds of millions of doses available to Americans by the end of the year. On Sunday, Trump reiterated that he was expecting a vaccine later this year – which many researchers doubt. In Europe, there is concern that Trump would primarily supply the United States if the vaccine breakthrough there – following the motto “America first”. By the way, Russia was also missing from the virtual rendezvous of the donor countries. China, on the other hand, took part.
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Swipes on national solo efforts were heard everywhere at the donor conference. Merkel said that the conference was an important signal at a time when cooperation was not always as multilateral as she wished. “Germany will be actively involved,” said Merkel. French President Emmanuel Macron said: “Everyone-by-yourself would be a big mistake.” And again and again the message: This virus knows no borders and the world will only be safe if it is contained in all countries.
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The EU Commission manages the commitments
Not only governments, but also international and private organizations, the United Nations, the World Health Organization WHO, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the coalition for innovations to prevent epidemics Cepi are involved in the so-called Global Response and the Global Vaccine and Immunization Alliance Gavi.
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The funds promised on Monday should only be booked with the EU Commission. The funds are distributed to the researchers in three categories via the participating international partners – for vaccines, medicines and tests. To do this, the recipients must promise open access to results and commit to the goal of making the new funds available to everyone at affordable prices.
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According to the EU Commission, more than 70 possible vaccines are currently being researched worldwide. At least three are now being clinically tested. Four billion euros will flow from the money from the donor conference. Dozens of research teams are simultaneously looking for therapy for Covid-19. The international alliance wants to raise two billion euros for this. 1.5 billion euros have been earmarked for expanding test options. (SDA)
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