President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Prof. Jacob Olupona on his 70th birthday, wishing him, his family, friends, acquaintances and the academia a most memorable milestone celebration.
The president, in a congratulatory message by his spokesman, Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Saturday, applauded the decades of research and accompanying rigour deployed by Olupona.
Olupona, a Nigerian National Order of Merit Award winner, in indigenous African religions, earns a worthy place at the Harvard Divinity School, with joint appointment as Professor of African and African-American Studies in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University.
Buhari commended the Professor for his research works into African spirituality, Pentecostalism, Yoruba festivals, Religious Pluralism in Africa and the Americas, among others.
He noted that the renowned academic had spent the past five decades, sharing and imparting knowledge globally.
The president wished the septuagenarian longer life and good health, urging the younger generations to derive inspiration from his sterling achievements.
CEC Sends Letter To French PM Concerned About Draft Law
In a letter to the French government, the Conference of European Churches (CEC) expressed deep concern over the draft law introduced to fight Islamic radicalism in the country. CEC, together with its Member Churches in France, pointed out the damaging effect the law can inflict on religious communities, stressing the need for the government to engage further with religious leaders.
The letter addressed to Prime Minister Jean Castex and Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin was issued on 4 February from CEC office in Brussels, addressing the draft law from the perspective of European integration, an ecclesial vision from the churches and the foundation of human rights.
In the letter, a detailed analysis was shared on topics related to bills presented in European countries that could risk fundamental rights as enshrined in the EU Lisbon Treaty and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, as well as administrative and financial constrains the French draft law can cause, resulting in restricting freedom of expression and religion.
The European churches also warned against the suspicion towards religious communities that could be caused by such a law, urging instead to enhance democratic values, social integration, nurturing a culture of hospitality, solidarity and a constructive public debate.
WFP says Americans spent around $17 billion on food, drinks, party supplies and other paraphernalia to mark the 2020 Super Bowl, the flagship event of the American football season, and in the process consumed a stomach-churning 1.3 billion chicken wings and almost 900 million pints of beer.
The money spent by US companies on TV advertisements during the Super Bowl is enough to feed 690 million hungry people around the world. Unsplash/WFP
An estimated 130-140 million people around the world are expected to tune into the game which takes place on Sunday, similar to the number of hungry people worldwide who WFP are hoping to reach with food aid in 2021.
Read more here about how the Super Bowl-inspired feast of over-consumption relates to the global challenge of feeding the world’s hungriest people.
Having reached the vice president’s chair in the U.S. Senate, the self-proclaimed QAnon shaman, UFO expert and metaphysical healer removed his coyote-skin and buffalo horns headdress and announced, with a megaphone, that it was time to pray.
“Thank you, Heavenly Father … for this opportunity to stand up for our God-given inalienable rights,” proclaimed Jake “Yellowstone Wolf” Angeli (born Jacob Chansley), his face painted red, white and blue, and his torso tattooed with Norse symbols that his critics link to the extreme right.
“Thank you, divine, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent Creator God for filling this chamber with your white light and love,” he added, in a prayer captured on video by a correspondent working for The New Yorker. “Thank you for filling this chamber with patriots that love you and that love Christ. … Thank you, divine Creator God, for surrounding and filling us with the divine, omnipresent white light of love and protection, of peace and harmony. Thank you for allowing the United States of America to be reborn. Thank you for allowing us to get rid of the communists, the globalists and the traitors within our government.”
Many phrases in this rambling prayer would sound familiar to worshippers in ordinary churches across America, said Joe Carter, an editor with the Gospel Coalition and a pastor with McLean Bible Church near Washington, D.C. But the prayer also included strange twists and turns that betrayed some extreme influences and agendas.
“This is a man who has described himself as pagan, as an ordained minister, in fact,” said Carter, reached by telephone. “The alt-right has always included some pagan influences. But now it’s obvious that leaders with QAnon and other conspiracy theorists have learned that if they toss in some Christian imagery, then they’ll really expand their base and their potential reach one-hundredfold.”
Law-enforcement officials will soon present evidence attempting to prove who planned key elements of the illegal riot that crashed into the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, after the legal “March to Save America” backing former President Donald Trump’s disproven claim that fraud cost him the White House.
This is just the latest example of how conspiracy theories, on the left and right, have soaked into public discourse about COVID-19 vaccines, Big Tech monopolies, sinister human-trafficking networks and, of course, alleged illegal activities in the 2016 and 2020 elections.
There is no way to deny that this digital tornado has shaken many Protestant churches, according to a new Lifeway Research survey. It asked clergy to respond to this statement: “I frequently hear members of my congregation repeating conspiracy theories they have heard about why something is happening in our country.”
Nearly half (49%) of participating pastors agreed with that statement, and 13% strongly agreed. Another 47% disagreed, including 26% who strongly disagreed. Only 5% said they were not sure.
The survey included a balance of large- and small-church leaders. Pastors of churches with more than 250 in attendance were the most likely to agree (61%). White pastors (50%) were more likely than Black pastors (36%) to say that they frequently hear conspiracy theory talk in their flocks.
Carter said it’s interesting that older pastors in this survey — 65 years of age and up — were the most likely to say that they haven’t experienced this trend. That could mean that they are unplugged from online life or that “it’s younger pastors who are listening more carefully and then they recognize what they’re hearing,” he said.
Last spring, Carter wrote a “What Christians Should Know About QAnon” feature for the Gospel Coalition’s website that urged pastors and evangelical leaders to take this “political cult” more seriously.
At that point, he wrote: “Christians should care about QAnon because it’s a satanic movement infiltrating our churches. Although the movement is still fringe, it is likely that someone in your church or social media circles has either already bought into the conspiracy or thinks it’s plausible and worth exploring.”
Carter said he would use “stronger language” if writing today.
“So many people are being tempted to turn politics into an idol,” he said. More and more Americans seem to believe that “what’s really important in the world is politics, while religious faith is something weak for old ladies. What matters is political power — period. That’s a dangerous temptation.”
Terry Mattingly leads GetReligion.org and lives in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He is a senior fellow at the Overby Center at the University of Mississippi.
Stakeholders in the health sector widely welcomed the long-awaited Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, unveiled on Wednesday (3 January), as a “new era for cancer care and cancer patients” which places the European Union at the forefront of research and innovation efforts.
The €4 billion flagship plan is a key pillar of the European Health Union, presented by President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in November 2020 as part of creating a more secure, resilient and better-prepared EU.
With an emphasis on research and innovation, the cancer plan sets out a new EU approach to cancer which targets the entire disease pathway, from prevention to quality of life of cancer patients and survivors.
As part of the effort to tackle cancer holistically, the plan will be supported by actions spanning across policy areas from employment, education, social policy to agriculture and the environment.
Commenting on the publication of the plan, von der Leyen pointed out that while all eyes have been on COVID-19, Europeans were fighting a “silent battle” against cancer.
In 2020 alone, 2.7 million people in the EU were diagnosed with the disease, and another 1.3 million people lost their lives to it.
Despite making up less than 10% of the world’s population, Europe accounts for almost a quarter of global cancer cases and although cancer care and treatment are still making great strides, the number of European citizens diagnosed with cancer has almost doubled over the past two decades.
“Nearly half of EU citizens will face cancer at some point of their lives. Without further action, cancer will become the leading cause of death in Europe. We can reverse this trend, but I am afraid there is no room for failure,” said Antonella Cardone, European Cancer Patient Coalition (ECPC) director.
With the advent of the Commission’s long-awaited cancer plan rapidly approaching, now more than ever, the impetus is there for EU lawmakers to drive change in Europe’s cancer care.
With this plan, the European Commission aims to turn the tide on this and ensure that the EU is ready to make the most of the ground-breaking innovations that cancer care research has brought forth over the past few decades.
Nathalie Moll, director-general of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries (EFPIA), welcomed the plan, telling a news conference on Wednesday (3 January) that with it Europe launches a “new era for cancer care and cancer patients”.
“We should all be ambitious and accountable. That’s why we as the bio-pharmaceutical industry are committed to working with all stakeholders on the concept of a cancer dashboard where we set concrete and measurable targets to prevent, treat and cure cancer,” she said.
Cardone also welcomed the inclusion of a multi-stakeholder ‘dashboard’, highlighting its role in measuring the success of the plan.
“We do believe that what gets measured, gets done,” she stressed.
First presented at the European Health Forum Gastein in October 2020, the dashboard is a monitoring and implementation tool designed to underpin the plan and facilitate cooperation between stakeholders.
New interdisciplinary research on nanotechnology and cancer biology is taking us one step closer to developing personalised care plans for cancer, but this tiny technology poses a huge challenge for EU regulation due to its small size and fast-paced evolution.
Push on personalised medicine, genomic therapies
The plan aims to keep the EU at the forefront of research and innovation when it comes to cancer.
To support new technologies, research and innovation, a new knowledge centre on cancer will be launched to help coordinate scientific and technical cancer-related initiatives at the EU level, while a European cancer imaging initiative will be set up to support the development of new computer-aided tools to improve personalised medicine and innovative solutions.
Biotechnology company EuropaBio pointed out that there is a “significant opportunity” for the healthcare sector arising from the development of personalised medicine, genomics, and artificial intelligence, which will have an “increasing impact in cancer care and research”.
“To maximise the potential gains from these growing areas, the EU must reduce obstacles to the collection, sharing and utilisation of real-world data,” they said.
EFPIA’s Moll added that “new innovation in personalised oncology, gene therapies and combination therapies require innovative health systems, long-term investment and strong partnerships”.
Cooperation is key
With cancer set to become Europe’s leading disease burden, the case for concerted cooperation between countries on tackling cancer has never been stronger, stakeholders highlighted, adding that the plan will help guide country efforts and includes commitments to shared goals and actions.
Matti Aapro, president of the European Cancer organisation (ECO), said the COVID-19 crisis has underscored the importance of tackling cancer as a collective whole.
“We have gone through a major crisis and this has taught us that there are no borders for these major challenges like cancer,” he said.
“Setting common goals on cancer at the European level is a fantastic start, and we are delighted to see that level of ambition and leadership in Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan. The next stage is driving forward the actions required to meet those ambitions, and monitoring progress towards the achievement of the agreed goals,” he said.
Alcoholic drinks have been treated differently to tobacco products in Europe’s Beating cancer plan, as overuse, not its use, will be targeted by the Commission’s initiatives.
The much-awaited EU cancer plan presented on Wednesday (3 February) aims to address key cancer risk factors such as cancers caused by smoking, harmful alcohol consumption, as well as exposure to pollution.
Confirming the figures in a leaked draft of the plan, the EU executive expects to deal a blow to tobacco use by adapting the EU control framework to novel products such as e-cigarettes and herbal products for smoking, with an ambitious goal of having fewer than 5% of EU citizens using tobacco in twenty years.
Contrary to what is provided for tobacco, the Commission chose to address only harmful alcohol consumption.
The EU legislation on taxation of alcohol will also be reviewed in order to balance the objectives of public revenue and health protection, the cancer plan states.
“What we will be doing is increasing awareness and looking at issues to do with alcohol affordability and availability,” explained Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides.
Asked what the EU means for harmful consumption, Commission vice-president Margaritis Schinas said that it is about the “abuse of alcohol as defined by science, not by Brussels.”
According to the WHO, cancer was the leading cause in 2016 of alcohol-attributable deaths with a share of 29%, followed by liver cirrhosis (20%), cardiovascular diseases (19%) and injuries (18%) in Europe – including EU member states, the UK, Norway and Switzerland.
The Commission is also proposing mandatory labelling of ingredients and nutrient content, and health warnings on alcoholic beverages before the end of 2023.
“Certainly the European Union will not ban wine, and we will not label wine as being something that is toxic,” added Schinas.
Schinas is the Commissioner in charge of promoting the European way of life and he made clear that wine is “part of who we are and of our way of life.”
The Greek Commissioner also denied that the EU promotes alcohol as such through its promotion policy, which is intended to support the competitiveness of the European agri-food sector.
Eligible alcoholic products for promotion are limited to spirits or wines linked to the specific register of geographical indication under the EU quality schemes, or for wine carrying an indication of a certain regional grape variety.
The EU is currently reviewing the promotion policy for agricultural products with a view to enhance its contribution to sustainable production and consumption.
The European Commission has softened its stance on phasing out the promotion of red and processed meat in Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, and the latest change has received a mixed reception from stakeholders.
Alcohol labelling remains a sensitive issue in the EU policy agenda after the industry’s attempt to present its self-regulatory proposal that lead to a deadlocked negotiations with the Commission, partially overcome by a memorandum of understanding presented by the sector in 2019.
In the memorandum, the industry set up some commitments in terms of energy value and a list of ingredients to appear on the label of spirits.
The first Commission proposal is envisaged in the cancer plan for 2022 and will address the list of nutrients and a nutrition declaration on the label, while another proposal on health warnings is expected by 2023.
“We considered the memorandum of understanding and its implementation and important steps and this [proposal] will not undermine the results of what has already been achieved,” said Kyriakides.
Likewise, Schinas confirmed the Commission’s intention to build on the practical experience of the alcoholic beverage sector in order to give consumers the information that they need for a healthier lifestyle.
The European spirits association welcomed plans to encourage self and co-regulatory initiatives related to marketing.
“Alcoholic beverages should only be enjoyed in moderation, as part of a balanced lifestyle, by those adults who choose to drink,” said Ulrich Adam, Director general of SpiritsEUROPE.
Several associations of wine producers and importers have criticised the Commission’s plans to review the legislation on taxation of alcohol.
According to Italy’s winegrowers association Federvini, tax and regulatory measures tend to demonise drinking rather than effectively combat alcohol abuse, affecting consumers who drink responsibly.
Stakeholders in the health sector widely welcomed the long-awaited Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, unveiled on Wednesday (3 January), as a “new era for cancer care and cancer patients” which places the European Union at the forefront of research and innovation efforts.
NEW DELHI: India and the European Union have discussed holding regular interactions for re-initiation of bilateral trade and investment agreements, with an interim agreement to start with, the government said on Saturday.
Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal and the European Union Executive Vice-President and Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis had the first High-Level Dialogue (HLD) on Friday wherein they also agreed to meet within the next three months, with an objective for reaching consensus on a host of bilateral trade and investment cooperation issues.
These include a bilateral Regulatory Dialogue and an India-EU Multilateral Dialogue to explore further possibilities of cooperation.
“In a significant step forward, regular interactions for re-initiation of bilateral trade and investment agreements, with an interim agreement, to start with, were also discussed,” the commerce and industry ministry said in a statement.
Negotiations for a broad-based Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) started in 2007 and were suspended in 2013.
The BTIA talks collapsed over certain EU demands such as greater market access for automobiles, wines and spirits, and further opening up of India’s financial services sector such as banking, insurance and e-commerce.
ET reported last month that keen to accelerate investments, technology and capital flows from the EU, India wants the investment and trade deals to happen parallelly and independently.
At the 15th India-EU Leader’s Summit in July 2020 the two sides agreed to explore the possibility of renewing the BTIA talks and also decided to establish the HLD.
“The ministers emphasised the importance of global cooperation and solidarity in a post Covid-19 era and agreed for further deepening of bilateral trade and investment relationship through a series of regular engagements, aiming at quick deliverable for the businesses in these tough times,” the ministry said.
India’s exports to the EU in April-October were $20.5 billion, led by organic chemicals, pharmaceutical products, mineral fuels, gems and jewellery, leather products and apparel, while imports were $17.9 billion. Nuclear reactors, electrical machinery and optical/photographic apparatus were the major import.
Tibetan peace marcher Tenzin Dhondup reached the final destination of his ‘March to Freedom’ after traversing the distance of over 2300 km distance from Dharamshala, considered the exile capital of the Tibetan diaspora to Nathula, Sikkim near the Tibetan border on Wednesday. He was accompanied by his fellow activist Tenzin Nyima who joined him from Chandigarh. The 29-year-old activist participated in press conferences, met with many individuals and political representatives from different states. “I don’t know if I succeeded in what I set out to do. However, we’ve done all we could in the nine states that we crossed,” he said.
This wish was eventually granted as I met Tenzin Nyima in Chandigarh and Tenzin Choephel in Siliguri and on the last day in Gangtok, there were around 80 people marching with me. I think this is my biggest achievement.” The activist assured that he will continue to work towards raising awareness about Tibet in the future.
On 28th January, the peace marcher duo met with Shri Pema Wangda Bhutia, Regional Convener for North Bengal and Sikkim, Core Group for Tibetan Cause – India who had come down from Gangtok.
Tenzin Dhondup and Tenzin Nyima accompanied by Shri Sonam Lhundup Lama, Mr. Dhondup Sangpo, TSO Kalimpong and Shri Pema Wangda Bhutia held a press conference at Siliguri Journalist’s Club. Tenzin Dhondup addressed the media about their campaign march and their demands which are (I) Seeking urgent attention to the deteriorating environmental situation in Tibet; (II) The world must accept Tibet as an occupied country; and (III) China should be punished for the recent attack at the Indo-Tibet border by boycotting products made in China. He stressed that if China is not stopped then the future will remain in peril.
The Tibetan community in Gangtok, Sikkim welcomes Tibetan marchers on Feb 3 (Photo- Tenzin Dhondup)The marcher thanked his supporters and well-wishers who helped him along the journey, “I got both financial and emotional support from different individuals without whom this journey wouldn’t have been possible.” Dhondup said that the Indian public resonated with two of his resolutions linked to environmental protection and boycott of Chinese goods. He further spoke to us about the support he received from the Tibetan community, and especially mentioned the Gangtok community and the state government who helped him finish the march effectively. The march passed through nine Indian states; Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim.
Peace marchers duo with TSO Kalimpong Mr. Dhondup Sangpo, Regional Convener Shri Pema Wangda Bhutia, Shri Sonam Lhundup Lama and other representatives.
Dhondup set out on the three-month journey in November to protest China’s onslaught on Tibet with three major issues on his agenda; deteriorating environmental situation in Tibet, recognizing Tibet as an occupied country; and boycott Chinese goods. At the commencement event in Dharamshala, he emphasised that the country is still suffering from the brunt of Chinese occupation, “Tibet stands as a testament to China’s flawed and unethical leadership.”
Shri Sonam Lhundup emphasised on creating awareness among Indians on such issues. He underlined that the building of dams on Brahmaputra River by China is destructible for Northeast India as it can give rise to either flooding or water scarcity in the region. He further highlighted the importance of Tibet for India.
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<h2 class="fe_heading2">UGI International Forms Exclusive, Strategic Partnership with bioLPG Producer Ekobenz to Drive bioLPG Availability in Europe</h2>
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VALLEY FORGE, Pa., February 2, 2021 (BUSINESS WIRE) —
UGI International (“the Company”), European subsidiary of UGI Corporation (NYSE:UGI), one of the world’s largest LPG distributors, today announced a new supply and development partnership with Ekobenz, a Polish technology specialist in catalytic conversion of bioethanol to bio-gasoline and bioLPG. Per the terms of the agreement, UGI International has secured the exclusive rights to Ekobenz’ supply of bioLPG, a renewable form of propane-butane produced from advanced bioethanol. The primary raw material to produce bioLPG is the conversion of organic material derived from industrial waste, unsuitable for use in human and animal food chain. The product can be used by all of UGI International’s existing LPG entities operating across Europe, and significantly boosts the company’s portfolio of sustainable fuels.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://web.archive.org/web/20210214155842/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210202006067/en/
As well as providing a platform for the growth and wider uptake of bioLPG through UGI International’s strong market presence in Europe, the company is also committed to playing a crucial role in enabling its customers to decarbonise their operations to support the goals of the Paris agreement to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The move also signifies UGI International’s leadership in supporting emerging technologies that have the potential to transform and decarbonise a sector that has been traditionally heavily reliant on fossil fuels. The unique properties of bioLPG mean that it can be easily combined with traditional conventional LPG and used across the same applications, diluting the carbon footprint per litre and offering a greener alternative that can be used in exactly the same way by customers.
Ekobenz is the first and currently only company in Europe that has succeeded in commercialising bioLPG production based on advanced bioethanol produced from waste. The first shipment of bioLPG from Ekobenz’ state of the art research facility in BogumiIow, Poland, is expected to arrive in Sweden in the spring of this year.
The partnership with Ekobenz is one of several initiatives which support UGI International’s ambition of aligning and, where possible, surpassing those sustainable targets as set in the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive II (RED II) guidance protocol.
What is bioLPG?
Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) is most commonly used for industrial processes, off grid heating and as a transport fuel. In general, conventional LPG contains less sulphur than other fossil fuels resulting in cleaner combustion, higher efficiency, and less required maintenance. BioLPG’s sustainable properties compared to its non-bio counterpart is further strengthened by the fact that Ekobenz uses advanced bioethanol, produced from waste and residues as feedstock in its production.
Roger Perrault, Executive Vice President Global LPG
“Ekobenz is an excellent opportunity for us to benefit from one of the emerging pathways to a more sustainable future. This initiative is one of many options we are currently pursuing on the path to securing the production of renewable fuels. It is complementary to other business activities in UGI International, which also include renewable wind power and existing bioLPG currently supplied in the Nordic region of Europe. We will continue to ask our Business Development Group to cast the net far and wide to ensure we partner up with the most advanced and appropriate technical initiatives emerging in the market.”
Neil Murphy, Vice President for Business Development for UGI International
“As highlighted by Roger, our increased focus in the bioethanol space represents a major step forward in our relentless search for new and innovative technologies to support our customers on the path towards a more sustainable future.
“As one of the world’s largest suppliers of LPG, we consider it our mission to be an innovator in offering customers greener and cleaner LPG fuels. The proprietary technology employed by Ekobenz produces very high-quality products at a moderate cost, paving the way for large scale, commercial production which can be easily expanded in Europe. Together it’s our ambition to pioneer affordable bioLPG for the foreseeable future.”
StanisIaw JabIonski, President of Ekobenz ltd.
“Biomass products produced by Ekobenz can be added to crude oil products without restriction, making them an ideal way to achieve zero emissions in liquid and gaseous fuels by 2050. In addition, all 2020-2050 milestones aimed at zero emissions for liquid and gaseous fuels can be met using the existing distribution system, equipment and people.
“Therefore, Ekobenz as a producer of renewable fuels and UGI as a leading LPG distributor meet the conditions for a highly successful partnership which can protect the climate and achieve zero emissions in 2050.”
About UGI International and Ekobenz
UGI International is one of the leading LPG distributors and a UGI Corporation subsidiary which operates in 17 European countries servicing a customer base of 615.000 end-users. UGI International employs several brands such as AmeriGas, Antargaz, AvantiGas, DVEP Energie, Flaga, Kosan Gas and UniverGas. In 2020 UGI International serviced customers across broad markets – such as commercial & industrial, residential, agriculture, Autogas and aerosol, with 1.7 million tons of LPG. UGI International is committed to aligning its business operations with REDII and you can read more about the companies ESG strategy by clicking here.
Ekobenz is a Polish-based start-up established in 2006, which specialises in ETG (ethanol to gas) technology. Their production facility is based in BogumiIow in Poland where the company transforms second generation bioethanol to advanced biofuels suppling a global energy company with bio gasoline and now UGI International with bioLPG. The ETG technology is patented and the main objective of Ekobenz’ research is to create a liquid bio-hydrocarbon, which can be added to fossil fuels without any limitations, thus increasing the share of renewable energy in transportation fuels Ekobenz’ total workforce currently stands at 50.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://web.archive.org/web/20210214155842/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210202006067/en/
SOURCE: UGI Corporation
For media enquiries please contact:
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Caroline Cutler / Genevieve Ryan [email protected]
UGI Investor Relations
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Statement by Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe
142nd plenary session – European Committee of the Regions
4 February 2021, Copenhagen, Denmark
President Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Representatives of the Regions, Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am very happy to be here today, at the European Committee of the Regions, to both sign an agreement to continue the productive partnership between our two organizations as well as to discuss COVID-19.
In times like these, the unwavering support of the European Union and its institutions to the World Health Organization – building on the past, collaborating in the present, and planning for the future – is crucial.
I’d like to express my appreciation for the EU’s support in recent weeks to strengthening the International Health Regulations on which WHO bases much of its emergency preparedness and response work, as well as the key role that the EU has played in establishing the COVAX facility within the vaccine pillar of the Access to COVID-19 Tools ACT Accelerator.
We are now more than one year into an unprecedented pandemic.
To date, the Europe Region is the 2nd worst affected of all world regions, accounting for more than one-third of both reported cases and deaths globally.
Some 37 countries in the Region have started vaccinations, administering close to 30 million doses. The development and approval of safe, effective vaccines less than a year after the emergence of a new virus is a stunning scientific achievement.
Let me be clear: COVID-19 vaccines are not a silver bullet that can stop this pandemic by themselves. But they will reduce the burden of disease and save lives.
As predicted, the demand for vaccines is far greater than the supply, at this early stage. The sheer scale of vaccine rollout is enormous – and so are the challenges. Frustration due to an inconsistent flow of vaccines is understandable. Vaccine production and roll-out will take time.
The key here is solidarity. Producing sufficient doses of the vaccines depends on international cooperation: If countries come together through research, manufacturing capacity, procurement, and investment in delivery, unprecedented speed can be achieved.
The WHO has repeatedly called for action to ensure fair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, a global public good. No one country should have access to more than it needs while other countries have limited or no supplies. This is why the COVAX facility is of such importance. A fair distribution of vaccines is the right thing to do; for moral, economic, and security reasons.
That is why I call for patience and understanding.
COVID-19 and its impact
Although there is reason for hope in the form of vaccines, we are far from being out of the woods.
The impact of the pandemic is far-reaching and long-term. Its effect on mental health is felt everywhere, in every quarter of our society.
COVID-19 has exacerbated risks of food insecurity and scarcity, while unhealthy diets have added to the burden of noncommunicable diseases.
The pandemic has also severely disrupted health services and forced national health systems to reallocate resources.
Today, on World Cancer Day, it is concerning to acknowledge that 1 in 3 countries in the European Region have partially or completely disrupted cancer services, directly impacting the chances of cure or survival for hundreds of thousands of cancer patients.
Regions
What we have seen over the past months in our cities and towns, where two-thirds of the population of the European Region lives, is that strong local governance is a factor behind successful pandemic mitigation.
Local governments in the Europe Region have been and still are at the forefront of curtailing the pandemic.
Cities are epicenters in this emergency; not only in terms of community- and country-wide transmission, but also as points of health care, and travel and trade hubs. Cities are the closest level of government to people. And they are also key to sharing experiences and fighting misinformation, as service providers and central elements of a sustainable future.
New MoU
The findings of a Pan-European Commission on Health Sustainable Development, led by former European Commissioner Mario Monti, will be presented later this year. The Commission is tasked with rethinking policy priorities in the light of pandemics.
Current challenges call for rethinking our priorities and finding new ways of working. The European Region is fortunate to have already made strides in that direction, seeking to achieve equity in health, and understanding the critical relevance of its social, economic and environmental determinants.
Today, WHO/Europe and the Committee of the Regions will be renewing their partnership by signing a new Memorandum of Understanding as well as an accompanying action plan, based on the European Programme of Work, 2020–2025 – “United Action for Better Health in Europe” (EPW). The political priorities of the European Committee of the Regions in 2020–2025, its annual work programmes and the new European Commission Programme for Health 2021–2027, form the bedrock on which our partnership lies.
This is a significant milestone towards bringing our work in line with our targets.
Our partnership is about:
meeting people’s expectations of their governments to secure universal health care without financial hardship;
making the most of the knowledge and governance of 1 million local and regional European politicians in terms of health in their constituency; and
a robust post-COVID-19 recovery with resilient health systems and strong primary health care for thriving communities.
Closing
I hope that I can count on the full involvement of the CoR in WHO’s flagship initiatives: the Mental Health Coalition; Empowerment through Digital Health; the European Immunization Agenda 2030; and Healthier behaviours, incorporating behavioural and cultural insights.
I would like to thank the CoR for its participation at last September’s session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe, with Member Birgitta Sacredeus, underlining the role of local regional authorities in the fight against COVID-19. And let me also thank the CoR for lending its strong voice to the COVID-19 vaccination campaign.
Finally, let me express my thanks to President Tzitzikostas and our friends at the European Committee of the Regions for making this agreement a reality. With this good will and commitment, I look forward to bringing our common vision of equitable health for all in the European Region to life.
