Appeal to Consider the Development Cooperation Aspects of COVID-19
Posted by Nicole Moran on April 6, 2020 at 10:03 am
The Development Studies Community of Scholars in the Netherlands has written an appeal to H.E Minister Kaag to consider the development cooperation aspects of COVID-19.
The appeal states:
“… while it might appear that we are all fighting the same virus, it appears that we are competing with each other for access to medical supplies; that countries are retreating behind national boundaries and borders; and that global cooperation, solidarity and the multilateral system is at risk. Precisely at such times we need intensive cooperation and mutual learning going beyond simple transfers of ideas from the North to the South. Precisely at such times, we need to reflect on our development model and our focus on increasing growth at the cost of the environment and human health.
And yet, the global community has never been so rich with world GDP reaching USD 87 trillion dollars in 2019. The top continues to get richer and inequality increases. As Piketty recently said on our television – inequality is a political choice. Although we all depend on nature’s contributions to humans – a stable climate, clean air, fertile soil and water – 70% of the world’s poor are directly dependent on the direct and indirect benefits that nature provides for their survival; damage to nature has immediate existential risks for them and makes the poor even poorer. And COVID-19 has just added another huge burden on them.
Against this background, we ask you to (a) initiate a discussion within the Netherlands Cabinet on global health challenges; (b) initiate a working group of development cooperation ministers; (c) to see how rich countries, rich industries and rich people worldwide can mutually engage with partners in the global South to develop a short-term policy to provide relief to the poor, migrants and refugees world-wide; (d) to assess how lessons learnt can lead to a more long-term strategy on redefining development to reduce social and environmental externalities, and reducing inequality between states and within states as required by Goal 10 of the Sustainable Development Goals; (e) communicate the importance of mobilizing action for global health and a new development agenda to the Dutch public and (f) actively engage the development studies community to support you in finding meaningful and systemic solutions for this and related global crises.”
To read the full appeal from the Development Studies Community of Scholars in the Netherlands click the links below:
Letter to Minister Kaag (English)
Brief aan Minister Kaag (Nederlands)
