Trudeau co-chairs 2nd high-level COVID-19 Economic recovery conference

The conference of world leaders is another important step towards sustaining the worlds economies

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica along with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, hosted there second High-Level event on Financing for Development in the Era of COVID‑19 and Beyond.

“Global cooperation is crucial to protect people, save lives and defeat COVID-19. Our investments will also help preserve the hard-won development gains we have made collectively that have lifted millions of people out of poverty these past decades.” The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

Heads of state, governments, and international organizations met to discuss how to bolster and urgently accelerate our global response to the immediate significant economic and human impacts of COVID‑19, and advance concrete solutions to international development over the medium and long-term.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Trudeau announced an additional $400 million in international development funding this year. This new funding will go to trusted partners on the ground fighting COVID‑19, and will enable Canada to support the recovery and resilience of developing countries.

It will also address short-term humanitarian and development needs caused by the pandemic and other crises. The ultimate objective is to ensure that the development gains made over the past decade are not lost, and ensure that 2030 Agenda and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are not at risk. Canada will make sure that women and girls, who have been disproportionally impacted by the consequences of COVID‑19, benefit from this new funding.

The pandemic has caused immense social and economic distress throughout the globe but it has acutely affected low- and middle- income countries. Through the High-Level event, the global community is coming together to enable recovery and build a future that is inclusive, sustainable and resilient.

Canada has already committed $220 million through the COVAX Advance Market Commitment to purchase vaccine doses for low- and middle-income countries, because the virus cannot be beaten unless there is a global effort to end it everywhere.

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