President Cyril Ramaphosa joined some of the world’s top leaders this weekend for the G7 summit in the UK and called on them to deal with the massive inequalities in the fight against Covid-19.
Covid has exposed massive global inequality. The UK has received 105 vaccine doses per 100 people, according to the Financial Times vaccine tracker. South Africa, at the other end of the list, has only had 2.9 doses per 100 people.
Ramaphosa said on Sunday that US President Joe Biden told him that South Africa would receive some of the 500 million doses of the Pfizer vaccines that the US will distribute globally.
Rubbing shoulders with the likes of French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the host UK Premier Boris Johnson, Ramaphosa urged the Group of Seven countries to put more money into testing and vaccines. He asked for support for the World Health Organization’s programme to spread access to anti-Covid measures.
“We need to address the substantial financing gap for tests, treatments, critical supplies like oxygen and the health systems that enable testing, treatment and vaccination,” Ramaphosa said.
The G7 includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US, countries that together represent more than half of global GDP.
Ramaphosa’s presence at the meeting indicated South Africa’s unique status as both a member of the Brics group and the only leader from a developing country invited to the G7. South Africa is also the only African country that is a member of the expanded G20.
Political commentator Redi Thlabi likened it to former President Thabo Mbeki being invited to the G8 summit in Scotland in 2005 to make the case for reform of the UN Security Council.
“It is good for South Africa to have a seat at this table,” she said.
“May we use it wisely.”
South Africa’s international status was diminished under former President Jacob Zuma, who was never invited to such jamborees.
Also rehabilitated at this meeting is the United States which, under former President Donald Trump, was massively unpopular. The G7 leaders could barely conceal their relief at Biden, who represents a return of the US to a commitment to democratic values.
Video source: SA government
