G-20 leaders agreed to help optimise WHO procedures for Covid-19 vaccines emergency use approval: Piyush Goyal

Rome [Italy], October 31 (ANI): Leaders of the G-20 nations including Prime Minister Narendra Modi have agreed to help to optimise the processes and procedures of the World Health Organization (WHO) for emergency use authorisation of Covid-19 vaccines, India's G20 Sherpa Piyush Goyal said on Sunday.
Addressing media after the conclusion of the G20 Summit in Rome, Union Commerce and Industry Minister said that the 'Rome Declaration' was agreed by all the stakeholders of the Group of 20 nations.
"The declaration was agreed by all the stakeholders. We have agreed that the COVID-19 immunisation is a global public good and the recognition of vaccines will be mutually accepted, subject to national and privacy laws that the countries may have. But more importantly, it has been agreed that everybody will help to optimise the processes and procedures of the World Health Organization (WHO) for the vaccine approval and the emergency use authorisation," Goyal said.
India's G20 Sherpa added that the World Health Organisation (WHO) will be strengthened so that it can provide recognition of vaccines faster.
The minister said that G20 nations agreed to extend the debt service suspension initiative so that low-income countries are not burdened.
"We have also agreed to extend the debt service suspension initiative so that low-income countries are not burdened with debt repayment at this critical time," Goyal said in Rome.
"Livelihoods for small and marginal farmers were focus of our discussions. Everybody has agreed that improving their livelihoods is an important global effort that we will have to put in," he added.
The Group of 20 leaders also agreed to end public financing for coal-fired power generation abroad, but set no target for phasing out coal domestically. (ANI)