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Comment ahead of the Vaccine Alliance pledging conference tomorrow (4 June) that is expected to raise at least US$ 7.4 billion to support the roll out of vaccination programs across the developing world, and establish a new fund to help developing countries buy and distribute a coronavirus vaccine.

Oxfam analysed the World Bank’s emergency health funding to 71 countries in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While its response has been rapid and significant, Oxfam finds that the World Bank has missed vital opportunities to strengthen public health systems so they can tackle COVID-19 and deliver health for all in the future. 

“Today’s lack of progress on debt relief is as irresponsible as it is underwhelming. Merely encouraging private sector creditors and multilateral banks to participate in the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) is woefully inadequate and a dereliction of duty. The G20 is in denial of the scale of response needed to address the worse global crisis in a century," said Jaime Atienza, Oxfam International’s Debt Policy Lead, in response to the communiqué of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting.

Today European leaders met in Brussels to agree an EU climate and energy package up until 2030.Leaders decided to curb C02 emissions by at least 40%, increase the amount of renewable energy in the mix to at least 27%, and set a non-binding target to reduce energy demand by at least 27%. In response to the announcement of the deal, Natalia Alonso, Oxfam’s Deputy Director of Advocacy…

The cost of weather-related disasters in the five years since global leaders last met to discuss climate change is almost half a trillion dollars ($490 billion) – three times more than for the whole of the 1970s.

Ahead of shareholder meetings for the giant pharmaceutical corporations, the People’s Vaccine Alliance calculates that Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca have paid out $26 billion in dividends and stock buybacks to their shareholders in the past 12 months.

Joint Media Reaction by Oxfam, CAN Europe, APRODEV, CIDSE

Rather than protecting vulnerable people from the spread of the coronavirus, the Greek government is using the crisis to absolve itself from its obligations under international and EU law, said Oxfam.

In reaction to the coronavirus pandemic reaching 1 million confirmed cases, Oxfam interim Executive Director Chema Vera, said today: "This is a grim milestone that must spur the international community to take immediate action. We must tackle this pandemic with single-minded determination, and as one."

Europe’s refusal to commit money to help poor people cope with climate change could derail the chances of reaching a fair climate deal in Copenhagen, warned Oxfam International today.