In response to the urgent need for global cooperation to combat COVID-19, the InterAction Council- an organisation comprising of Former Heads of State and Government- last week released a framework for global institutions. The framework was created in order to inform national, multilateral and global responses, as well as shape the recovery response and future recommendations. One Young World endorses this framework and intends to work with its global community to execute the tenants of the framework, listed below:
1. Build Back Green – as part of the recovery process, invest in solutions that address the climate crisis and enable progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals including: nature based solutions, renewable energy, low carbon infrastructure, climate change adaptation.
2. Enable the Digital Transformation – continue the rapid digital shift during the pandemic to create connected communities that are able to share learning, find solutions and respond at scale to building back green; ensure digital governance to prevent misinformation, hacking and scams; and enhance efficient ways of working, with reduced travel, with the creation of digital health systems for Planet, Place and People for a common future for all.
3. Courageous and Collaborative Leadership – for the wellbeing of future generations, in order to apply learning from the pandemic, re scaling up emergency processes and unified efforts to address the climate and environmental crisis; empower young people with the skills and experience required to address emergencies and to secure a healthy planet for all.
4. Establish an Independent Global Emergency Mechanism – tasked with enhanced surveillance and monitoring, risk assessment and detection, with rapid alert and response systems; such an organisation needs to be able to establish a global and multi-sector response at speed, communicate freely, have independent governance and be able to collaborate and mobilise action across the international community.
5. Invest in Emergency Preparedness and Response – the Commission for a Global Health Risk Framework for the Future recommends an annual global investment of $4.5 billion for pandemic preparedness, including public health preventative measures and research. Such an organisation could have wider responsibilities, including relevant aspects to address the Planetary Emergency.
6. Strengthen Public Health and Health Protection – invest in and enhance essential public health operations and services within every country– a weak link anywhere is a weak link for us all – ensure that this is embedded within national health systems to enable national, regional and local coordination and surge capacity during outbreaks.
7. Enhance links with multi-sector emergency mechanisms – ensure that health risks and planning, including for pandemics are incorporated across global, national, regional and local emergency planning systems and governance mechanisms – building upon the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
8. Increase Research into Prevention and Preparedness - the Commission for a Global Health Risk Framework for the Future recommends an annual global investment of $1 billion for research into pandemic preparedness; investing in research on the effectiveness of preventative and health protection measures provides the most scope for reducing avoidable deaths, whilst maximising economic savings, and reducing global security impacts.
“This pandemic has revealed humanity’s vulnerability and our deep sense of interconnectedness with each other and our environment; as global citizens we need to look after each other during this crisis and work together to create a safe and sustainable world for the wellbeing of all on this planet,” said Joanna Nurse, former Head of Health and Education for The Commonwealth and strategic advisor to the InterAction Council.
One Young World and the InterAction Council have worked together previously to co-create and enact policies. 10 One Young World Ambassadors participated in the 36th Annual Plenary Meeting of the InterAction Council held in Cartagena, Colombia in 2019 to help foster international dialogue and to offer their expert recommendations to the Council.
