Government Discusses Strengthening International Cooperation on COVID-19 and Future Infectious Diseases at G20 Ministers' Meeting

Lee Gi-il, 2nd Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, Attends G20
Health Ministers' Meeting and Joint Finance-Health Ministers' Meeting via Video Conference

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] The government sought ways to strengthen international cooperation to respond to COVID-19 and future infectious diseases together with health ministers from the Group of Twenty (G20).

On the 21st, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced that Lee Ki-il, the 2nd Vice Minister, attended the G20 Health Ministers' Meeting and the Joint Finance and Health Ministers' Meeting held over two days from the 20th to the 21st via video conference to discuss such measures.

The meeting was hosted by Indonesia, the G20 chair country this year, and attended by health and finance ministers from G20 member and invited countries, as well as international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO).

At the Health Ministers' Meeting held on the 20th, participants discussed ▲ building international health resilience for the prevention, preparedness, and response to pandemics ▲ harmonization of cross-border guidelines ▲ expansion of international production bases and research hubs for medical resources such as vaccines in low- and middle-income countries.

Vice Minister Lee emphasized the need to establish a G20-led cooperative framework for equitable access to medical resources such as vaccines, the importance of timely sharing of genetic information, and the necessity to strengthen production capacity and knowledge sharing of medical resources in low- and middle-income countries, aiming to enhance solidarity and cooperation for building international health resilience.

In particular, based on the experience of sharing genetic information between countries through the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID) at the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak, which facilitated the discovery of new variants and vaccine development, Vice Minister Lee stated that the openness and accessibility of GISAID should be strengthened to encourage participation from more countries.

He also requested attention and support for the 'World Bio Summit' scheduled to be held in Seoul this October.

The meeting also included discussions on the 'One Health' approach, which recognizes that human health, animal health, and the environment are interconnected, and the need for international cooperation on antibiotic resistance. Vice Minister Lee introduced the domestic cross-ministerial joint response system regarding the One Health approach and antibiotic resistance.

At the Joint Finance and Health Ministers' Meeting held on the 21st, discussions will focus on establishing a Financial Intermediary Fund (FIF) for pandemic prevention and response, and the creation of a coordination body in the finance and health sectors. The FIF is a public-private financing system designed to support the public sector in responding to infectious diseases and international food issues.

Vice Minister Lee said, "Building global health resilience that leaves no one behind is essential to respond to infectious diseases affecting the world, including COVID-19," adding, "Korea will actively participate in the upcoming discussions and fulfill its role as a member of the international community."

Meanwhile, the second meetings of the Health Ministers' Meeting and the Joint Finance and Health Ministers' Meeting are scheduled to be held in October and November, respectively, in Bali, Indonesia.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.