Sunyani, March 26, GNA – Avaaz has called on the G20 to save lives by agreeing to forgive their debts, starting with immediate suspension of debt payments, as governments stepped up efforts to control the spread of the novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) across the globe.
“We are deeply concerned that the world’s poorest countries won’t have the resources to contain the coronavirus and we also urge you to provide additional funding so all governments can spend money fast to contain the virus, boost their healthcare systems, and ensure people can afford to stay at home,” the 55-million-person global campaign network said in a statement.
Avaaz works to ensure that the views and values of the world’s people shape global decision-making and members are spread across eight countries on six continents and operates in 17 languages.
G20 is made up of 19 countries and the European Union – Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.
“This is a terrifying time for us all, but it could get much, much worse,” a copy of the statement signed by Sarah Morrison, a member of the Avaaz team and made available to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) stated.
“If coronavirus takes over some of the world’s poorest countries in Asia, Africa and South America, MILLIONS of people could die”.
“People crammed into slums, overcrowded hospitals and little money to help the poor.
In many of these places, people simply can’t afford to stay home or get the basic health care they need”.
“But G20 leaders are meeting today to work out a global response to this crisis. Experts are asking them to offer debt relief to the world’s poorest countries, allowing that precious money to save lives. That’s exactly what is needed right now, and it’s on us to ensure our leaders make it happen,” the statement indicated.
Poor countries worldwide are saddled with billions of dollars in debt to rich countries and institutions like the IMF. But right now, it makes much more sense for them to inject this cash into their healthcare systems and to help their people stay at home, so we can stop this virus spreading.
Pakistan and Ethiopia have already called for debt relief, and even the World Bank has asked G20 leaders to offer debt relief to the world’s poorest countries so they can spend their precious resources on the coronavirus pandemic.
Leaders have agreed to this before, but it took huge public pressure. In 2005, G8 finance ministers cancelled the debt of the world’s 18 most heavily indebted countries to an amount of $40 billion and after Ebola, the IMF cancelled $100m of debt for the world’s worst-hit places.
“So, let’s make this call massive, before it’s too late! This is a global crisis and we’ll only beat it if countries everywhere can contain the virus.
“Tragedy can birth some of the most beautiful moments of our time, but only if we take this time to join hands.
“After World War II, major powers wrote off most of Germany’s debt and the United Nations was created for international peacekeeping. We can create something visionary from this crisis, but we need to urge our world leaders to rise and be the heroes this moment needs. Let’s do it together,” the statement concluded.
GNA