Finance and health ministers will discuss how to keep pace with the response to the pandemic and build further coordination between ministries
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will attend the G-20 Joint Finance and Health Ministers’ meeting in Rome on October 29 to discuss prevention and response to the COVID pandemic, among other things.
“Union Finance Minister Mrs. @nsitharaman is on official visit to attend the #G20 Joint Finance & Health Ministers’ meeting in #Rome to discuss measures to strengthen #COVID19 #PandemicPrevention, #preparedness & #response. The meeting takes place before the #G20RomeSummit,” tweeted the Finance Ministry.
The finance and health ministers will discuss how to maintain momentum in the response to the pandemic and build further coordination between the ministries.
On 29 October, the G20 finance and health ministers will gather in Rome for their first joint meeting under the Italian G20 presidency. The meeting will be co-chaired by Italian Economy and Finance Minister Daniele Franco and Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza.
The meeting will take place on the eve of the G20 Leaders’ Summit to be held in Rome from 30-31 October 2021.
Speaking at the 36th annual G30 International Banking Symposium earlier this month, Sitharaman had highlighted the need for an international financial architecture to fight the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic and keep the supply chain open for vaccine raw materials. The need was emphasized.
The Minister also highlighted the need for an international financial architecture to fight the COVID-19 pandemic across the world and supported the need for new financial instruments to focus and advance green initiatives.
India has suggested a temporary exemption of intellectual property rights under the WTO agreement on COVID-19 vaccines and drugs.
Last week India, which has a population of over 130 crore, achieved a major milestone in its immunization program against Covid-19, as the cumulative dose of vaccine administered in the country crossed the 100 crore mark. About 104 crore people have been vaccinated till 27 October.
.