Today: 25 April 2025
15 June 2021
2 mins read

UK PM: Selfish Approach to COVID proved Self-Destructive

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson admitted that “selfish and nationalistic approaches” had marred the initial global response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I know the world was looking to us to reject some of the selfish and nationalistic approaches that have marred the initial global response to the pandemic,” Johnson said at a press conference on Sunday as the G7 leaders wrapped up their first in-person summit in almost two years in the southwestern English resort of Carbis Bay, Cornwall.

Johnson voiced hope that a new pledge made by the G7 countries about sharing 1 billion Covid-19 vaccines with the world’s low-income countries over next year has lived up to “some of the most optimistic of hopes and predictions”.

The vaccines will include 100 million doses from the UK and 500 million from the US.

Britain, Dec. 17 — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street to attend a cabinet meeting in London, Britain, on Dec. 15, 2020.

The UK is the first European country that passed the grim mark of 100,000 coronavirus-related deaths.

The G7 countries have long been criticized for hoarding vaccines.

They have reserved more than a third of the world’s vaccine supply, despite making up only 13 per cent of the global population.

Countries like Canada, the UK, and the US have had enough doses to vaccinate their entire populations multiple times over.

In a joint communique issued at the end of the summit, the G7 countries said they will support science in a mission to shorten the cycle for the development of safe and effective vaccines, treatments and tests from 300 days to 100 days.

Aside from supporting their own pandemic-hit economies “for as long as is necessary”, the G7 countries will strengthen partnerships with other countries, according to the communique.

Acknowledging the urgency of fighting climate change, the G7 countries said they will accelerate the transition away from coal, but failed to provide a timeline to end the use of coal for generating electrical power.

Johnson, whose country holds the rotating G7 presidency, said that “action has to start with us” as a group to reduce global carbon emissions.

Leaders from the UK, the US, Canada, Japan, Germany, France and Italy, plus the European Union, took part in the three-day gathering from June 11-13.

The UK also invited Australia, India, South Korea and South Africa as guest countries to this year’s meeting.

During the G7 summit, multiple protests were staged in Cornwall to accuse the “rich countries’ club” of making “empty promises” and failing to properly tackle such issues as climate change and ecological emergency.

The G7 summit was also overshadowed by the newly exposed scandal of US spying on European politicians and the Britain-EU dispute over Northern Ireland, among other issues.

Previous Story

NATO agrees on new agenda to address future challenges

Next Story

Biden claims NATO consensus on Afghans

Latest from -Top News

Modi Strengthens Defence, Energy Ties in Saudi

Both sides agreed to hold the next Strategic Partnership Council meeting at a mutually convenient date….reports Asian Lite News India and Saudi Arabia have expanded their bilateral Strategic Partnership Council by adding

Muslim World League Condemns Terror in Pahalgam

Prime Minister Modi commended the firm stand of the Muslim World League against extremism, terrorism and violence….reports Asian Lite News The Muslim World League has condemned the horrific terror attack in Pahalgam,

Pahalgam attack: Modi Cancels Saudi Plans

Sources said that the Prime Minister also skipped the official dinner hosted by Saudi Arabia and has decided to cut short his visit…reports Asian Lite News Prime Minister Narendra Modi will shorten

Modi Begins Saudi Visit

This will be Prime Minister Modi’s first visit to the historic city of Jeddah where the second meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council (SPC) will also take place…reports Asian Lite News Prime

UAE Eyes Investment in Pakistan

Sheikh Abdullah will hold a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in Islamabad for a two-day visit
Go toTop