With the number of cases increasing throughout the world, the Ministerial Coordination Group on COVID-19 continues to be a valuable forum to act together on global challenges related to COVID-19 and beyond.
Today, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Foreign Affairs, hosted the 11th call of the Ministerial Coordination Group on COVID-19 with his counterparts from Brazil, France, Germany, India, Italy, Singapore and the United Kingdom.
Minister Champagne welcomed Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar of India to the group, noting the recent developments in India and emphasizing the critical role India plays in addressing global COVID-19 vaccine and pharmaceutical needs.
The group discussed their respective domestic responses, with many of their countries experiencing a second wave of COVID-19. Minister Champagne noted specifically Canada's nation-wide implementation of the COVID Alert exposure notification app and federal support for provinces and territories in boosting testing capacity.
Finally, the ministers reiterated their commitment to ensuring equitable access to successful COVID-19 vaccines and agreed that when conditions permit more international travel, it will be important to learn from each other on how to best manage borders, international travel, testing and contact tracing.
