At the conclusion of a two-day meeting convened by Italy in its capacity as the group’s president, the representatives of the 20 most economically powerful nations on the planet also expressed their willingness to strengthen healthcare systems and partnerships for preparedness and response.

In that regard, they underscored the leading and coordinating role of the World Health Organization in international healthcare work in close coordination with the relevant stakeholders.

The agreements were written in a Final Declaration called the Rome Pact, in which the participants at the meeting identified actions in areas such as healthy and sustainable recovery in the post-pandemic period and building resilience based on the ‘One Health’ concept.

We commit to promoting a healthy and sustainable recovery that contributes to the achievement and maintenance of universal health coverage by strengthening public health with a focus on primary healthcare, the text referred.

Ministers noted that ‘we encourage a collaborative effort’ by discussing the implementation of common strategies to support research, development and equitable distribution of vaccines, therapeutic products, including medical oxygen and diagnostics, among others.

They also stressed the importance of treatments to fight against Covid-19 and advocated working together to develop and make them accessible with equitable distribution for the benefit of a wider population, including the unvaccinated and other vulnerable populations such as migrants and refugees.

At a press briefing at the end of the encounter, Italy’s Minister of Health Roberto Speranza expressed satisfaction with its outcome and said that the meeting was a message from Rome to the world against Covid-19.

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