Latest news with #TheCommonwealth
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Commonwealth Health Ministers Unite For Bold Action On Sustainable Health Financing
Press Release – The Commonwealth The 37th meeting of health ministers, held on 17 May in Geneva, marks a renewed spirit of collaboration among member countries at a time when many healthcare systems are under pressure to adapt to an uncertain and challenging future. 19 May 2025 Commonwealth Secretary-General Hon Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey with health ministers in Geneva at her first ministerial meeting, convened ahead of the 78th World Health Assembly The 2025 Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting, convened ahead of the 78th World Health Assembly, has concluded with a blueprint for unlocking sustainable health finance and delivering on the promise of quality healthcare for the 2.7 billion people across the Commonwealth. The 37th meeting of health ministers, held on 17 May in Geneva, marks a renewed spirit of collaboration among member countries at a time when many healthcare systems are under pressure to adapt to an uncertain and challenging future. The ministers produced a strong outcome statement with a pathway for building equitable, resilient, inclusive and sustainably financed health systems that prioritise vulnerable member countries, now at risk due to recent freezes and cuts in development assistance. Addressing the health funding gap through resilient budgets In her remarks at the opening ceremony, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Hon Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, addressed representatives from 45 member states, 198 government officials, and 42 observers, including global health leaders, youth advocates and other stakeholders, stating: 'We must shift from short-term, fragmented approaches to long-term, wide investment. That means strengthening governance, the health workforce, infrastructure, supply chains, data systems, and most crucially, primary health care. 'We must find new ways to finance health. That includes blended finance, social impact bonds, and public-private partnerships. But innovation must serve equity, not undermine it. That requires strong regulation, public leadership, and shared accountability.' In light of shrinking international assistance, she commended the efforts of Commonwealth health ministers while calling for even greater emphasis on health spending as an 'engine of growth' in challenging times. The Hon Selibe Mochoboroane, Lesotho's Minister of Health, chaired the ministerial meeting. Underscoring the need to build health systems that are sustainable, equitable and resilient, he said: 'We gather at a pivotal moment as many Commonwealth countries face pressing challenges from the current global financial landscape. It is crucial to establish a sustainable financing framework that safeguards our health systems through these economic hardships.' The Minister added: 'Collaborative partnerships are essential; the global community must unite to support one another with innovative health financing strategies to address immediate challenges and build resilient systems that can effectively respond to both current and future health crises.' In his keynote address, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, said: 'Although our current situation is difficult, we are using it as an opportunity to accelerate our journey towards greater financial sustainability. This is an area where the Commonwealth and WHO can work together to help member states on their journey to self-reliance, in particular those facing severe disruptions, with support from donors to bridge the gap.' Concrete actions and solutions The ministers explored innovative strategies and solutions to increase domestic spending on health and diversity funding streams. To achieve optimal health care, ministers underscored the importance of strengthening primary health care by: Investing in the health and care workforce to address worker shortages, Improving access to essential medicines to achieve health equity, and Investing in digital tools and strengthening country capacity for uptake by increased collaboration between the Commonwealth Secretariat and the World Health Organization, aimed at supporting countries to conduct Digital Health Maturity Assessments at the national level. Commonwealth partners and civil society organisations also advocated for impactful and cost-effective models of aid. Victoria Rutter, CEO of the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association and Chair of the Commonwealth Health Professions and Partners Alliance, said: 'The 37th Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting stands to be the most important to date. As global funding priorities shift away from conventional models of aid, there is an opportunity for Commonwealth member states and for organisations within the Commonwealth family to come together to develop new, cost-effective and sustainable ways of working in partnership with each other to improve health outcomes.' During four breakout sessions, member countries explored critical themes including climate resilience, non-communicable diseases (including cancers), mental health, digital innovations, and healthy ageing. Secretary-General Botchwey opened the climate breakout session, chaired by Hon. Bootii Nauan, the Minister for Health and Medical Services in Kiribati, highlighting the Secretariat's ongoing commitment to take concrete action based on the needs of member countries, including climate finance. Ministers were informed that barriers to climate finance access, such as complex application procedures, need to be addressed by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and other key funding partners. Efforts by the Secretariat in this regard, through the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub (CCFAH), remain essential. In the breakout session on NCDs and mental health, chaired by Nigeria's Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Hon. Dr. Iziaq Adenkule Salako, ministers underscored the need for sustainable financing to address the rising burden of NCDs and mental health issues. The session was particularly relevant given the upcoming United Nations Fourth High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health in September 2025. Ministers recognised that the event will also provide a key opportunity for the Commonwealth to highlight the critical link between climate change and health outcomes. With 4.5 billion people lacking critical health services and access to life-saving treatments, ministers agreed that investing in healthcare is essential to prevent the reversal of years of progress toward achieving health-related Sustainable Development Goals. Targeted investment for development will also be a key focus at the upcoming Commonwealth Business Summit in Namibia this June, with an opportunity to underscore that health is not just a moral imperative, but also a strategic cornerstone for sustainable development and inclusive economic growth. Notes Speeches Secretary-General's Remarks at the 2025 Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting Watch the Secretary-General's full remarks at the Opening Ceremony Watch the opening speech by Hon Selibe Mochoboroane, Minister for Health, Government of Lesotho Keynote speech by Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization Outcome Statement Access photos from the 37CHMM Flickr Album The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal sovereign states. Our combined population is 2.7 billion, of which more than 60 per cent is aged 30 or under. The Commonwealth spans the globe and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. Thirty-three of our members are small states, many of which are island nations. The Commonwealth Secretariat supports member countries to build democratic and inclusive institutions, strengthen governance and promote justice and human rights. Our work helps to grow economies and boost trade, deliver national resilience, empower young people, and address threats such as climate change, debt and inequality. Member countries are supported by a network of more than 80 intergovernmental, civil society, cultural and professional organisations.
South China Morning Post
13-04-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Decoding Trump's tariffs and the world's multipolar future
As the world struggles to make head or tail of Donald Trump 's tariff war, perhaps what is missing is an understanding of the nature of power discourses. Advertisement Global hegemons, when things are going their way, employ positive, inclusive and progressive narratives. But when the odds are stacked against them, their language shifts – hostile rhetoric and fighting words replace optimism, alongside negative depictions of perceived threats and adversaries. Consider the British Empire. After it had collapsed and its global dominance waned, it sought to salvage its legacy by rebranding its former colonies as part of 'The Commonwealth' – a term projecting unity and hierarchy. In more recent times, similar strategic language has underpinned American hegemony. Take expressions like 'the rule-based international system', suggesting fair multilateralism; 'free and open Indo-Pacific', contrasting China's trade practices with Western ideals; 'liberal democracy', signifying Western superiority; and terms like 'global stability', 'economic prosperity', 'defending human rights', or 'alliance of democracies', all of which sought to legitimise America's central role in shaping the global order. Other terms – equally suggestive but aimed at spelling out supposed threats to the hegemonic system – serve to rally allies against challenges to the hegemon. See 'authoritarian threats', 'economic decoupling', 'global fragmentation', 'democracy in decline', 'disinformation', and the catch-all for crises of all types: 'unprecedented challenges'. Then-US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, speaks at the third 'Summit for Democracy' held in South Korea last year. Photo: AFP By critically analysing this discourse, we can contextualise the tariff war and strip away the deliberately misleading connotations.
