Prince Harry And Duchess Meghan Call On Leaders At G20 Summit To “Vaccinate The World”
The Sussexes teamed with WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to write an open letter about vaccine commitments.
It was just last month that Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex partnered with the World Health Organization to convene a meeting with influential figures in New York to discuss vaccine equity. Now, the Sussexes have taken their efforts one step further by writing an open letter to world leaders attending the G20 Summit in Rome this weekend, asking why so little has changed since one billion vaccines were promised to low-income countries back in June.
The October 29 letter, which was written alongside WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros, calls on leaders to take urgent action with the reminder that “lives literally depend on it.”
“We understand that the pandemic recovery is nuanced and deeply complex, but we have a window of opportunity to come together as a global community and meet our humanitarian promises,” they write. “By delivering already-pledged doses, helping countries manufacture their own vaccines, and prioritizing vaccines for nations in need, the G20 can help ensure the world delivers on these promises.”
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The letter lands as world leaders continue to discuss the climate crisis and other global issues at the G20 Summit in Rome, Italy this weekend and just two days before the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Scotland begins on Sunday, October 31.
As the couple write in their letter, which also asks for members of public to pledge their support, it is up to world leaders to put an end to the pandemic as “we can’t simply hope for the pandemic to end on its own.”
“As the virus progresses through unvaccinated populations, we risk new and more deadly strains sweeping the planet. Further, with trillions of dollars already lost and trillions more expected to be lost, economies will never fully recover until the whole world can operate as normal,” the letter continues. “There are many crises that you—the stewards of our planet—must grapple with this weekend: the climate emergency, the state of our global economy, a recommitment to multilateralism. Yet, in many ways, making headway on these priorities depends on whether we can beat this pandemic.”
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In June world leaders at the G7 Summit in the U.K. had pledged one billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines to be sent to poorer countries in a bid to vaccinate the world and eradicate the virus, but since, as the letter points out, “several nations still don’t even have enough vaccines for their own health workers, the world is left asking: Where are the doses? Of the almost 7 billion doses that have been administered globally, just three per cent of people in low-income countries have had a jab so far. Where are the rest?”
Written with the support of other influential leaders, including Dr Seth Berkley of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and Chelsea Clinton of the Clinton Foundation, the letter adds that promises made by world leaders have not translated into vaccines “reaching the people that need them.”
“We must do everything in our power to get doses to as many people who want and need them, as fast as possible, in the right order, and to have the greatest possible impact,” Harry, Meghan, and Dr. Ghebreyesus add.
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The three included guidance for what needs to happen in order to achieve vaccine equality, including leaders fully funding “the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator so it can carry out its vital work of providing vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments to the most vulnerable people on the planet - from older populations and health workers to refugees.” They also ask for vaccine technology to be shared.
It remains to be seen whether other members of the Royal Family—who have yet to speak on the issue of vaccine equity—will broach the subject while attending COP26 next week. While the Queen has had to cancel her appearance (and all official visits for the next two weeks) due to the advice of doctors, Kensington Palace confirm to BAZAAR.com that Prince William and Duchess Kate will carry out five engagements at the conference over November 1 and November 2. Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall are also expected to attend.
This article originally appeared on Harper's BAZAAR US.