- Title: Germany's Merkel hopes for G7 infrastructure plans in 2022
- Date: 13th June 2021
- Summary: CARBIS BAY, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JUNE 13, 2021) (CORONA POOL) (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR, ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "Vaccines are the way out of the pandemic and we discussed yesterday that we have to make vaccines available for all. And that's why we are sending the signal that until the end of 2023, 2,3 billion doses will be distributed to developing countries. Germany will be contributing significantly. This is a very important signal we are sending." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR, ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "We of course also want to make sure that production isn't just taking place in Europe and Asia but also in Africa and I am very pleased that BioNTech is getting involved in just this issue as well as other companies of course." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR, ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "We also brought up the matter of forced labour, also looking towards China. In the EU-Investment Deal with China we have been fighting to get signatures from China that labour conditions set by the International Labour Organisation are adhered to." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR, ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "And the symbolic message of this meeting in Cornwall is that we want to act for a better world and we know that when the pandemic is over this will be more vital than ever. We know this won't be easy and that's why the approval of the plan to put 100 billion Euros into the poorest countries, via development funds for example, is so important to be able to see some progress, and we need to make good the setbacks caused by the pandemic, especially in fulfilling our sustainability goals set in the Agenda 2030. These were more or less the results we got here today. These have been very effective working days here." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR, ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "If there is anything left over then we will of course pass it on. The biggest part of Germany's contribution is the COVAX facility where we have contributed over a billion towards vaccine production so that one can say that Germany has been responsible for 350 million doses and that is the point of COVAX so that vaccines can make their way to poorer countries." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN CHANCELLOR, ANGELA MERKEL, SAYING: "Look Joe Biden being elected to the White House doesn't mean the world doesn't have any problems any more but we can now look for solutions to these problems with more zest and I think that it was great that at this G7 we were able to make things more concrete. Sometimes we talk about ideals but aren't clear how they should actually be put into practise and don't do things as well as we should and that's why it is an important initiative that there has been a decision to put more money into infrastructure projects, and to have a closer look at international financial institutions to see if they are up to the times and are in a position to react quickly enough as we have to face the fact that China is running a very effective financial politics and we can't just stand by watching."
- Embargoed: 27th June 2021 12:15
- Keywords: G7 Merkel
- Location: CARBIS BAY, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City: CARBIS BAY, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Europe,G7,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001EH8G37R
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:THIS EDIT CONTAINS WHITE FLASHES
Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday (June 13) praised the new 'zestful' working relationship with U.S. President Biden and the G7's new drive to come up with concrete proposals to tackle global inequality post-pandemic.
Merkel called the talks in Cornwall part of a push to 'make the world better," which would include global vaccine distribution and renewed efforts to improve infrastructure projects.
Merkel said she hoped that a new Group of Seven (G7) task force could present first infrastructure projects in developing countries in 2022.
At their summit in Britain the world's seven most advanced economies signalled a desire to build a rival to China's multitrillion-dollar Belt and Road initiative.
Merkel also said that 2.3 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses should be distributed to developing countries up to the end of 2022.
(production: Oliver Denzer, Tanya Wood) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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