RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL, 1 November 2024 — Ministers at the G20 Ministerial in Rio De Janeiro have made new commitments to tackle AIDS and other pandemics, through addressing the inequalities driving them, both globally and nationally.
The commitments have been welcomed as a potential breakthrough against AIDS and other pandemics by international experts including Nobel Prize Winning Economist Joseph E. Stiglitz, world-leading epidemiologist Sir Michael Marmot, and former First Lady of Namibia Monica Geingos. The experts, who are the Co-Chairs of the Global Council on Inequality, AIDS, and Pandemics established by UNAIDS, have been in Brazil as part of the Council’s engagement of the G20.
G20 leaders have committed, for the first time, to prepare to confront future pandemics by tackling the inequalities which drive them—addressing the social determinants driving pandemics. Committing to measure and address social determinants—factors like education, income inequality, and discrimination that have proven as important to pandemic preparedness and response as medical care—reflects an important step in addressing key drivers of health emergencies.
G20 leaders have also backed a new “Global Coalition for Local and Regional Production, Innovation and Equitable Access” to overcome unequal access to vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics, and other health technologies that often drive disease. The new coalition will address both neglected diseases like Dengue—a climate-driven virus that affects many of the world’s most vulnerable—and medicines for people in vulnerable situations like people living with HIV and TB.
The ministers stressed the importance of moving from promises to actions, and emphasized the importance for health of robust investments.
UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima, who convened the Global Council on Inequality, AIDS, and Pandemics, praised “Brazil’s remarkable leadership”. It is because of that leadership, she noted, that “G20 countries have recognized the social determinants of pandemics like AIDS, and have agreed to address unequal access to medicines through a Global Coalition on Local and Regional Production. This visionary, politically feasible solution could transform global health for as long as it remains bold in vision and wide in scope.”
Joseph E. Stiglitz congratulated Brazil for “having been able to forge consensus on very difficult and very important concrete issues, which is a real source of hope.”
Monica Geingos stated: “Brazil’s leadership has been central in making sure that tackling inequality has been taken up by the G20, and that the social determinants of pandemics are addressed.”
Sir Michael Marmot concluded: “Putting equity at the heart of policy making creates the opportunity to build societies where everyone can flourish.”
South Africa will carry forward these agendas under its G20 Presidency in 2025. The Global Council on Inequality, AIDS and Pandemics will support its work.
