UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima today addressed G20 leaders on global inequalities, and welcomed the Declaration agreed at the summit.
The declaration includes a call to action from the G20 on what it labels "deepening inequality" and calls for greater action to improve the world's future health security and address today's pandemics like AIDS. G20 leaders highlighted the constrained "fiscal space" for low- and middle-income countries and called for comprehensive and coordinated action on debt vulnerabilities as well as for increased sustainable financing for health and tackling disease, through domestic revenue and through the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria. They highlighted the opportunity to increase access to medicines through the WHO Pandemic Agreement. The declaration also reaffirms the centrality of the United Nations in achieving these goals.
Ms Byanyima addressed the G20 heads of state today and the G20 Health Ministers earlier this month. She did so as a part of Extraordinary Committee of Independent Experts on Global Inequality commissioned by President Ramaphosa, presenting its report and proposal for an International Panel on Inequality today, and at the health ministerial with the Global Council on Inequality, AIDS, and Pandemics, which called for a debt standstill and new financing facility, reformed access to new medicines, and a focus on social determinants and communities.
Ms Byanyima praised South Africa putting for "putting the issue of inequality at the very heart of the international agenda." Ms Byanyima paid tribute to President Ramaphosa for "lighting the way to a world that is both fairer and safer. I am a proud African once again today." She praised G20 leaders for taking up elements of the agendas of the Extraordinary Committee and Global Council in today's statement and called on them to translate today's words into action. "Concrete action is needed now on reducing inequality, on suspending and restructuring debt, and on financing the global response to AIDS and the pandemics of today and tomorrow."
