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EIB supports ALTUM to help Latvian businesses

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EIB supports ALTUM to help Latvian businesses
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  • EUR 130 million in financing to support ALTUM’s measures to help Latvian businesses cope with the economic consequences of the Covid-outbreak.

  • Signed in early July, so far more than 470 Latvian businesses have been supported with various measures, including lower interest rates and longer repayment horizons.

Together with the Latvian Ministry of Economy, in mid-March Altum launched a EUR 200m Covid-19 Working Capital Loan Programme, a support mechanism for Latvian businesses impacted by the Covid-19 crisis. To expand the capabilities of this programme to safeguard Latvian businesses and jobs, in July the European Investment Bank lent ALTUM €80 million in Covid-related financing. The Government of the Republic of Latvia provided additional €50 million. So far, the European financing has helped ALTUM to support 475 Latvian companies, thus making sure that more than 1580 people’s jobs were safeguarded.

EIB Vice-President Thomas Östros commented: “Small and medium-sized businesses are essential to Latvia’s quick recovery from the ongoing economic downturn. The Latvian government and ALTUM are doing all they can to support SMEs and the Bank is glad that it can back up this programme. Since the financing was signed in August, we can already see the positive effects of the programme. We will continue to support ALTUM, a longstanding partner of the EIB, wherever we can.”

Reinis Bērziņš, ALTUM Management Board Chairman, stated: “With support from the government and the EIB, ALTUM is providing swift assistance to businesses to help them cope with the difficulties caused by the negative impact of Covid-19 outbreak. Since the start of the crisis, the combined positive effect of all of ALTUM’s financial instruments on the economy exceeds 625 million, and is increasing daily. It’s a good thing that we can continue our fruitful collaboration with the EIB to support Latvian small and medium-sized enterprises and help to safeguard many jobs.”

The EIB-backed programme consists of short-term loans (up to 3 years) to Latvian companies struggling with a substantial decrease in operations and therefore in need of liquidity support. The EIB’s funds have helped Altum to support the SMEs in a timely manner with advantageous financial conditions, such as lower interest rates and longer repayment or grace periods.

Background information

In the last five years, the EIB has provided over EUR 460 million in financing to Latvian projects. The EIB’s relationship with ALTUM dates back to 2009, when a EUR 100 million loan was signed with Latvijas Hipoteku un Zemes Banka, ALTUM’s predecessor. In the face of the ongoing crisis, the EIB and its subsidiary the EIF, make available loans, guarantees, asset-backed securities, equity and other financial instruments to mostly small and medium-sized enterprises, to boost those parts of the EU economy and the healthcare sector that were hit the worst.

ALTUM is a state-owned development finance institution, which offers state aid for various target groups with the help of financial tools (such as loans, credit guarantees, investment in venture capital funds, etc.). ALTUM develops and implements state aid programmes to compensate for the market’s shortcomings that cannot be solved by private financial institutions. In June 2017, ALTUM was awarded  the international credit rating Baa1 by Moody’s, which approves its strong financial stability.

Two Religion Reporters Cover Where Faith and Politics Meet

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Two Religion Reporters Cover Where Faith and Politics Meet

Times Insider explains who we are and what we do, and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together.

The discourse surrounding the background of the Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett and the support of white evangelicals for President Trump has deepened political divisions in the country, and the conversations are two examples of why it’s important to understand conservative Christians and their impact. For our religion reporters, Ruth Graham and Elizabeth Dias, covering more political stories as the election draws nearer has become inevitable. We asked them a few questions about digging into the facts on the faith beat.

What challenges do you face covering religion in the United States?

RUTH GRAHAM One challenge in this particular moment is that the pandemic has made reporting so much harder. That’s true on every beat, of course, but religious observance in particular has so many sensory elements that really have to be experienced in person: music, prayers, food, décor, incense, emotion. Calling people up on the phone and asking direct questions about their beliefs will never capture it all.

ELIZABETH DIAS The polarized political climate has made reporters’ jobs harder all around. I’ve found conservatives are increasingly wary of talking with us no matter what the story is, from sexual abuse in evangelical churches to Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination. That means these important stories often take longer to do because access to accurate information is harder to get.

Religion and politics seem inseparable these days. Has that always been the case, or has something shifted?

GRAHAM I think they seem inseparable partly because it’s election season, and as journalists we tend to view things through that lens ourselves. For ordinary believers, the connection is not always so clear. Some people clearly draw a connection between their faith and their views on national politics; others definitely don’t. I try to keep that in mind as a reporter and not force every story into a political frame.

DIAS Religion and politics both reflect shared, larger questions. They are both about power. They are both about people. They are both about how people structure life together. For centuries religion was politics, and it still is today in many parts of the world — the Vatican is a city state. Each generation works out its own relationship to these bigger questions and to history, and the election is just one way we are seeing that play out now in the United States.

Image
Credit…Rozette Rago/The New York Times

How is covering religion during the 2020 election different than in 2016?

DIAS So much was revealed in 2016: the political influence of prosperity gospel preachers, who connect faith with financial wealth; the complete marriage of white evangelicals to President Trump; the depth of the racial divides within Christianity. Four years later these themes are all present, but that does not necessarily mean the election outcome will be the same. When the votes are tallied we will learn how the president’s religious coalition has and hasn’t changed after four years.

Would QAnon ever cross into your beat? What would that look like?

GRAHAM Yes, I’m actually starting to work on a Q-adjacent story right now. It’s a movement that has really taken off among Christian conservatives, and some have argued that QAnon itself is best understood as a homegrown religious movement. So there’s a lot of natural overlap on the religion beat.

What considerations do you take when reporting on religious groups that feel distrust toward the media?

GRAHAM The rising distrust of the media among a lot of conservative religious people is a major challenge, and one that is not going away. My starting assumption these days is always that I will have to work to convince conservative believers to talk with me. I do my best to acknowledge their wariness and explain why I want to include their voice in the story. All I can do is try to build trust by continuing to produce work that takes religion and faith seriously.

DIAS Trust grows over time, so I try to build long-term relationships with people I interview and to think of the body of work I’m building, versus only one specific story. Deep listening happens slowly, and requires appropriate empathy. I also spend a lot of time talking with people off the record, even though it means I may need to do more interviews, because I want to learn from them however I can.

European Union clears LVMH-Tiffany deal as court battle looms

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European Union clears LVMH-Tiffany deal as court battle looms

European Union regulators have blessed LVMH’s $16 billion marriage with Tiffany & Co. — but the fate of the deal still hinges on a court battle in the US.

The European Commission’s Monday decision to clear the tie-up means the French luxury conglomerate and the storied jeweler have now received all regulatory approvals needed to complete the acquisition, Tiffany said in a securities filing.

The clearance came ahead of the Nov. 24 deadline the two companies had set for completing the deal announced nearly a year ago, which would be LVMH’s largest acquisition ever if it’s ultimately closed.

But it also came amid a bitter legal spat sparked by LVMH’s move to abandon the Tiffany takeover in early September, prompting the New York-based engagement ring maker to sue to keep the deal intact.

The Delaware Chancery Court has scheduled a trial for January in the case, in which Tiffany accused Paris-based LVMH of dragging its feet on seeking approval for the acquisition from antitrust authorities in key jurisdictions including the European Union.

LVMH countersued late last month, claiming Tiffany’s business prospects had turned “dismal” because of the coronavirus pandemic that led the 183-year-old retailer to post a $65 million loss in the spring. Tiffany called the argument “specious” given that it returned to profitability after one rough quarter.

LVMH has also cited a letter from the French government that purportedly barred it from proceeding with the deal in response to the US’s threat to impose tariffs on French goods. Tiffany has blasted those claims as “excuses.”

LVMH did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the EU’s approval of the deal on Tuesday.

‘Franciscan friars administer Syrian Christians in Idlib jihadist zone’

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'Franciscan friars administer Syrian Christians in Idlib jihadist zone'
(Photo: © UNHCR)Syrian women and children recently displaced from East Aleppo take shelter at the nearby Al-Mahalij industrial zone in late 2016.

Two Franciscan friars are the only remaining clergy in Idlib, Syria, and the details of their lives ministering in one of the last bastions of jihadist rule in the country, including the daily threat of being killed, tortured or attacked are revealed by Catholic aid group.

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Father Firas Lutfi, Custodian of the Province of Saint Paul for the Franciscans of Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, told the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN ) that the friars were staying to help Christians suffering extreme persecution.

“Their suffering started a decade ago. When the war in Syria started raging in different areas of the country, militant groups took control of that region and proclaimed it an Islamic state,” said Lutfi.

He has first hand experience of the Syrian conflict having lived in Aleppo during the war which has raged for nearly 10 years.

“They confiscated the properties of the Christians, enforced the Islamic Shari’a on all the non-Muslims, took their rights to move freely in their own villages, forced the women to wear the veil.

“They destroyed and prevented any apparent Christian symbols, like the crosses above the churches and the graveyards,” said Lufti who is a member of the Jersulalem-based Custody of the Holy Land.

Father Hanna Jallouf, 67, and Father Luai Bsharat, 40, are the friars serving 300 Christian families in the villages of Knayeh and Yacoubieh in Idlib province, close to Turkey’s border with western Syria in Idlib province.

The region is still controlled by international jihadist groups, including an offshoot of Daesh, which is also known as ISIS.

PERESECUTED BY EXTREMISTS

Lutfi said: “Those extremists have often persecuted, attacked, beaten, tortured and even murdered some of our brothers and sisters.

“Most notably, Father Francois Murad who was beheaded in 2013, and recently, a lady teacher was raped and violently killed in Yacoubieh.

“The Christians in these regions face absolute persecution, fear, violence, danger, death, terrorism and hiding their faith and opinion.”

Lutfi noted, “The presence of the Franciscans is a sign of hope in the midst of the darkness and hopelessness.”

He added: “Despite the daily difficulties and the unbearable miseries, Father Luai Bsharat and Father Hanna Jallouf have stayed there because they believe in serving and trying to protect the remaining Christians, and they believe that this region should not be forsaken…”

Lufti emphasized that the friars and Christian families believe their presence in the area is of paramount importance.

He said: “Both the laity and the friars there strongly believe that they are, with their presence, contributing in strengthening the Church so that [the Church] can continue living through Her people during these atrocities.”

On June 9 Lufti told Rome Reports, “Before the war, the number of Christians [in Syria] was 2 million, or 8 percent of the entire population. Now, I don’t have an idea.

“We don’t have an exact statistic of how many Christians there are now. I assure you, maybe more than half of the entire Christian population left the country, unfortunately.”

The Report of the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic in early October gave an indication of what civilians in Idlib face.

“In its recent report on Idlib Governorate and western Aleppo, covering the period between November 2019 and June 2020, the Commission documented 52 emblematic attacks by all parties that led to civilian casualties and/or damage to civilian infrastructure,” said the report.

“These battles were marked by war crimes, including launching indiscriminate attacks resulting in death or injury to civilians.

“Continuing previously established patterns, the Commission also documented attacks against medical facilities, schools and markets, which deprived scores of civilians of access to health care, education and food.

The battles displaced nearly one million people and the commission found that progovernment forces may have perpetrated the crimes against humanity of forcible transfer, murder and other inhumane acts92 during the offensives on Ma’arrat al-Nu’man (second half of December 2019), Ariha (29 January 2020), Atarib (between 10 and 14 February 2020) and Darat Izzah (17 February 2020)

“When civilians fled, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham pillaged their homes. In restive areas under its control, members of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham also committed the war crimes of murder; of passing sentences and carrying out executions without previous judgment pronounced by a regularly constituted court; and of cruel treatment, ill-treatment and torture,” said the report

Renewal of Vatican-China deal triggers Taiwan religious freedom concerns

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Renewal of Vatican-China deal triggers Taiwan religious freedom concerns
(Photo: © Peter Kenny)Holy Family Catholic Church in Taipei, Taiwan on Nov. 22, 2019.

Taiwan has highlighted concern for religious freedom and human rights following the Oct. 22 announcement of the renewal of the Vatican-China provisional agreement on the appointment of bishops.

The Catholic publication Crux reported that Taiwan insists the deal is not diplomatic and voicing hope it will better conditions for religious communities in the mainland.

The Vatican said on Oct 22 it had extended its controversial agreement with China over the appointment of bishops for another two years, CNN reported.

Details of the agreement have never been made public and it has been criticized by some Catholic officials as well as by U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo.

The Vatican was quoted by CNN as saying that the deal “is of great ecclesial and pastoral value” and said it “intends to pursue an open and constructive dialogue for the benefit of the life of the Catholic Church and the good of Chinese people.”

Officially, there are about 6 million Catholics in China.

Prior to 2018, Beijing had long insisted on having the final say on all bishop appointments in mainland China, while the Holy See maintained that only the Pope has such authority.

The announcement renewed for another two years an historic accord reached in 2018 that end a decades-old power struggle over the right to appoint bishops in China, despite concerns over religious liberty and human rights in the country, The New York Times reported.

The agreement calls for China to formally recognize the Pope’s authority within the Catholic Church and his final say over the country’s bishops.

The Vatican in turn recognized the legitimacy of bishops previously appointed by the Chinese government and excommunicated by the church.

Taiwan has a population of almost 24 million people and Christians account for only about 4 percent of the island nation’s population, but the country allows Christianity to be practiced freely.

In an Oct. 22 statement issued after the announcement of the deal’s renewal, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it has kept a consistent position on the accord, and voiced hope that “it can help improve the worsening situation of religious freedom in the [People’s Republic of China].”

The ministry argued that religious freedom and human rights “have continued to deteriorate in China.”

It pointed to government measures in China aimed at “suppressing believers who resist being controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)” and which force bishops to join the CCP-controlled Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association.

“This so called ‘sinicization of religion‘ in the People’s Republic of China has become ‘nationalization of religion,’ even characterized by extensive CCP indoctrination,” the statement said, insisting that since China’s Communist Party dictates what happens on important matters, Catholics in the country “are facing serious challenges to their faith and conscience.”

China regards Taiwan as a breakaway province which it has pledged to retake, by force if necessary.

Taiwan’s leaders say, however, it is clearly much more than a province, arguing that it is a sovereign state.

“My main objection to the agreement is we don’t know what it is,” the American cardinal Raymond Burke, the de facto leader of critics of Pope Francis inside the church, said in a brief interview before greeting Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at an event organized by the U.S. Embassy to the Vatican last month, the Times reported.

In September, Pompeo angered some of the Vatican’s top officials, including those negotiating with the Chinese, by publicly calling on the church to break off talks with China to preserve its moral standing.

The fact that he chose a conservative Christian magazine critical of Pope Francis  to air his grievances did not engender much sympathy among the church’s leaders.

Pope Francis prays for victims of Cameroon school shooting – Vatican News

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Pope Francis prays for victims of Cameroon school shooting - Vatican News

By Vatican News staff writer

Pope Francis, during the Wednesday General Audience, expressed sorrow over the tragic murders of at least six students by unidentified gunmen in Kumba, southwest Cameroon, over the weekend.

“I share in the suffering of the families of the young students barbarically killed last Saturday in Kumba, in Cameroon,” the Pope said. “I feel great bewilderment at such a cruel and senseless act, which tore the young innocents from life while they were attending lessons at school.”

“May God enlighten hearts, so that similar gestures may never be repeated again,” Pope Francis added.

Turning his thoughts towards the long-running socio-political conflict in Cameroon, the Pope prayed that “the tormented regions of the north-West and south-West of the country may finally find peace.”

“I hope that the weapons will be silenced and that the safety of all and the right of every young person to education and the future can be guaranteed,” he said.

The Pope also expressed his nearness to the families, the city of Kumba and the whole of Cameroon, invoking upon them “the comfort that only God can give.”

Prayers for the victims

Separately, Bishop Agapitus Nfon of Kumba has invited the faithful to join in prayer for the victims and perpetrators of the attack.

In a statement released on Saturday, the Bishop said that according to information he received, unidentified gunmen stormed Mother Francisca International Bilingual Academy in Fiango Kumba at 11:30 am on Saturday and opened fire on students on in a classroom.  “Of the twelve students assaulted, six were killed and the others who were seriously wounded were rushed to the hospital,” explained Bishop Nfon. 

During the Mass, which will be celebrated on Friday at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Fiango Kumba, prayers will be offered for “the repose of the souls of our dear and innocent students who were murdered,” according to the Bishop. The Mass will also be offered for “God’s consolation on their parents and families and guardians, and for all our traumatized pupils and students.”

“My dear people wrapped in grief, our only true hope is God!” the Bishop said. “Let us turn to Him in our desperation and prayerfully cry to Him to come to our assistance.”

Violent attacks

“Because of this barbarous act, the people of Kumba are wailing, the entire Diocese of Kumba is mourning, our hearts have been crushed because our innocent children are no more,” the Bishop lamented. “We are crying and asking why our children are murdered? What did they do wrong? Is it because they went to school?” 

The Bishop also recalled a previous attack in May 2020 when a pregnant woman and some children were murdered in Ngarbuh, in the diocese of Kumbo.

He compared the horrifying deaths to the slaughter of the infants ordered by King Herod and the voice of Rachel in the prophesy of Jeremiah (Jer 31: 15), lamenting bitterly over her children because they are no more. 

“Today, Saturday, 24 October, 2020,” he said, “Kumba is reliving that prophecy not long after the heinous massacre of innocent children and pregnant women in Ngarbuh… “Was Ngarbuh not enough? How much of the blood of our children need to be shed before something concrete and immediate is done?” 

Appeal to government

Bishop Nfon called on the government and international bodies to “look for a lasting solution to this problem that will restore justice and peace.”

Condemning the Saturday attack, the Bishop noted that it comes barely five months after the Ngarbuh massacre which drew condemnation from many quarters. 

“Where will it be next, if something concrete and immediate is not done by the powers that be and can make things happen?” he asked, adding that Saturday was the “darkest and saddest day” for Kumba since the nation’s socio-political crisis affecting the North West and South West Regions began.

Years of unrest

Since 2016, parts of Cameroon have been gripped by unrest since Anglophone groups began to call for their independence.

Some schools in Cameroon have only recently reopened following a four-year shutdown, as the separatists’ fight for an independent state they wish to be known as Ambazonia carries on.

Currently, authorities have not been able to identify the assailants, and neither are they able to ascertain the reason why the school was targeted. 

2020 Climate Action Award winners shine ray of hope

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2020 Climate Action Award winners shine ray of hope

While COVID-19 is the world’s most clear and present danger, climate change is a menace that threatens all future generations, according to the head of the UN climate change convention.

“The last eight months have been a nightmare for many throughout the world”, said UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Executive Secretary, Patricia Espinosa, pointing out that the pandemic has “altered lives, economies and the nature of business on every continent—from the largest cities to the smallest villages”. 

And while it is “the most urgent threat facing humanity today”, she quickly added, “we cannot forget that climate change is the biggest threat facing humanity over the long term.”

Building sustainably

The UNFCCC chief attested that the convergence of these two crises has “opened a window of opportunity to build forward – to build cities and communities that are safe, healthy, green and sustainable”. 

“Nothing exemplifies this better than the efforts of our 2020 award-winning activities to address climate change”, she upheld.

This year’s award-winning projects demonstrate leadership on climate change by nations, businesses, investors, cities, regions and civil society as a whole. 

They range from the Caribbean’s only carbon-neutral hotel, to the world’s inaugural green bonds platform and the first all-women solar team in Lebanon.

Secretary-General António Guterres congratulated the winners, saying that they “provide tangible proof that climate action is under way around the world”.

“It is exciting to see these climate solutions, which reinforce my call for decisive leadership on climate change by Governments, businesses and cities, and for a green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic”, stated the UN chief. “Let us keep pressing ahead to build a more sustainable and equitable future for all”.

Spearheading momentum

As Governments work toward implementing the Paris Climate Change Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the awards are part of a wider effort to mobilize climate action and ambition. 

They also set the stage for two upcoming climate change events. The Race To Zero Dialogues, from 9 to19 November, will serve as critical input to the UNFCCC Climate Dialogues to advance work governing the rules of the Paris Agreement, which runs from 23 November to 4 December.

The UN Global Climate Action Awards are spearheaded by the Momentum for Change initiative at UN Climate Change and each project presents an innovative solution that both addresses climate change and helps drive progress on other SDGs. 

“It is crucial we celebrate all actors who are leading the way,” said Gabrielle Ginér, Chair of the Advisory Panel. 

“The recipients of the UN Global Climate Action Awards send a strong political signal to all nations – and through their leadership and creativity, we see essential change”. The 2020 winning activities, selected by an international Advisory Panel, can be found here. 

Momentum for Change recognizes real climate action on the ground. Watch the animated video, narrated by Mark Ruffalo.

‘Not there yet’: Rule of law conditionality trilogues continue | News | European Parliament

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‘Not there yet’: Rule of law conditionality trilogues continue | News | European Parliament

, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20201024IPR90105/

EU Wants UK Reassurance Divergence From EU Rules Won’t Be Too Big to Offer Financial Market Access

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EU Wants UK Reassurance Divergence From EU Rules Won't Be Too Big to Offer Financial Market Access

Great Britain should unveil how far it is going to diverge from the EU rules if it hopes to have access to the bloc’s financial market from January, head of the EU executive’s financial services unit, John Berrigan, said, as quoted by Reuters.

“There will be divergence, but we have to get some mutual understanding of how much divergence is likely to happen,” the official said, according to the agency.

This comes after the UK and the EU resumed trade talks last week, with both sides seeming to work hard to reach an agreement on a range of differences which have been preventing them from a keenly anticipated breakthrough.


©
REUTERS / HENRY NICHOLLS
European Union’s Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier wears a protective face mask as he arrives at 1VS conference centre ahead of Brexit negotiations in London, Britain October 24, 2020.

Lead negotiators Michel Barnier and Lord Frost are scheduled to meet in Brussels on Thursday as everyone involved in the negotiations hopes to see an agreement in the coming weeks. The points on which the two sides have been trying to reach some compromise are who has the right to fish in British waters and common standards, including controls over state subsidies for businesses.

UN agency chiefs appeal for ‘open science’ beyond COVID-19, citing dangers of secrecy and denial 

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UN agency chiefs appeal for ‘open science’ beyond COVID-19, citing dangers of secrecy and denial 

Audrey Azoulay, the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) and Michelle Bachelet, UN human rights chief (OHCHR), said it was time to ensure the benefits of science could be shared by all.  

Science not ‘only for the few’ 

“In these difficult times, the best health technologies and discoveries cannot be preserved only for a few”, the WHO chief said. 

“They must be available to all. After all, what’s the purpose of having cutting-edge technologies if they cannot reach the people that need them the most? Sharing data and information that is often kept secret or protected by intellectual property could significantly advance the speed at which technologies are developed.  

“An open research process also promotes transparency and helps to safeguard against misuse and allows others to validate the research process. So I warmly welcome today’s call for open science, a call for inclusiveness and solidarity.”  

Ms. Azoulay said the global fight against COVID-19 had highlighted the need for universal access to science as never before, and the potential of cooperation.  

Solidarity ‘a model for the future’ 

“The solidarity shown by the global scientific community is a model for the future. In the face of global challenges we need collective intelligence more today than ever”, she said.  

“And yet before COVID-19 only one in four scientific publications were openly accessible, meaning millions of researchers were denied the possibility of reading their colleagues’ works.  

“Today, closed science models do no longer work, because they amplify inequalities between countries and researchers and because they only make scientific progress available to a minority.” 

There was an urgent need to open up and democratise science, not just by liberalising access to publications, but by making the entire scientific process more accessible, more transparent and more participatory by sharing data, protocols, software and infrastructure, the UNESCO chief added. 

Coherent vision 

Concerning the drive towards international laws and standards, UNESCO’s 193 Member States have already mandated the organization to draft an international instrument, a recommendation on how to build a coherent vision of open science, with a shared set of overarching principles and values.  

The first draft was completed last month and the text was now open for comments, with countries scheduled to adopt a final version by the end of 2021, Ms. Azoulay said.  

“The global community urgently needs to ensure that open science does not replicate the failures of traditional closed science systems. It is these failures that have led to a high level of distrust in science, to the disconnect between science and society, and a widening of the science, technology and innovation gaps between and within countries.”  

Scientific knowledge, a human right 

Ms. Bachelet said  sharing knowledge was a matter of human rights, noting the explicit reference to sharing scientific advances and benefits contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 

“Covid-19 has brought this issue of open information into sharp focus. The suppression or denial of scientific evidence in some circles and reluctance to adapt evidence-based policies have magnified the devastating harms the pandemic has generated”, Ms. Bachelet said. 

“The basic principle of public health is the need for full and honest engagement with the public. Use of force will not mitigate or end this pandemic, but the use of science and fully-informed public consent and compliance will.” 

She applauded last week’s tie-up between WHO and Wikipedia to provide free access to information about COVID-19 and said the pandemic reinforced the importance of non-discriminatory access to the benefits of science such as COVID-19 treatments and vaccines, and states had a clear obligation under international human rights law to cooperate on ensuring access to a vaccine for all.  

“When the benefits of science are managed as a purely commercial product reserved for the wealthy, everyone is harmed”, Ms. Bachelet said.  

“Everyone’s right to share in scientific advances and benefits has been attacked in recent years, particularly in the context of climate change. In some circles the issue of whether climate even exists or is caused by human activity is treated as a matter of personal belief rather than rigorous science”, she added.  

The deliberate introduction of doubt about clear factual evidence was catastrophic for the planet, Ms. Bachelet said. 

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