Opening Remarks by Prime Minister Kishida at the G7 Health Follow-up Side Event
[Provisional translation]
1 Introduction
It is my great pleasure to see Dr. Joshua Walker, President of the Japan Society, and distinguished guests here today.
Since the Kyushu-Okinawa Summit in 2000, Japan has placed global health as a pillar of the Summit in its Presidencies. It is one of our human strengths to learn from experience. Building on the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, the G7 leaders at the Hiroshima Summit this May demonstrated their determination to take the leadership and action in global health and to contribute to the entire world.
The international community needs to strengthen prevention, preparedness, and response, or “PPR”, for future health emergencies. We must promote efforts to achieve universal health coverage, or UHC. During infectious disease crises, it is especially crucial that medical countermeasures, or “MCMs”, including vaccines are equitably distributed and that financial resources are smoothly mobilized.
2 Equitable access to MCMs
Comprehensive efforts, including from research and development, manufacturing to last-mile delivery, are essential to ensure equitable access to MCMs. To this end, the G7 has announced the basic ideas and principles such as equity and inclusivity as "the G7 Hiroshima Vision for Equitable Access to Medical Countermeasures (MCMs)" and is undertaking concrete discussions with the G20, WHO, and other partners.
Japan has launched "the MCM Delivery Partnership for Equitable Access ", or MCDP, based on the “Hiroshima Vision”. MCDP will draw on the knowledge and lessons learned from the “Last One Mile Support” for the COVID-19 vaccines, that Japan has initiated as one of the first implementers. I hope that MCDP will play a role as a framework for delivery-focused cooperation.
3 Establishment of Financing Package for Pandemic PPR
Regarding smooth financial resource mobilization, it is necessary to expand and accelerate domestic resource mobilization and private resource mobilization, along with international financial cooperation.
Today, I am pleased to announce the launch of Japan’s new ODA loan program for pandemic PPR. This program will provide increased support for borrowing countries, according to their efforts to strengthen prevention and preparedness, together with technical cooperation. In addition, this program will promptly supply financial resources necessary to respond to a pandemic.
4 “Impact Investment Initiative (the Triple I) for Global Health”
As to private financial resource mobilization, “Impact Investment Initiative (the Triple I) for Global Health”, was endorsed at the Hiroshima Summit to accelerate private financial resource mobilization through impact investments in global health. On this occasion, I am pleased to declare the launch of the “Triple I for Global Health.”
I would like to thank the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Global Steering Group for impact investment, the Impact Taskforce, and other related organizations for their support to “the Triple I”, which is a global manifestation of a New Form of Capitalism.
In August this year, JICA signed an impact investment agreement with Dr. Consulta, a Brazilian company, for the "Medical Access Improvement Project". This project will utilize AI to provide primary health care for low-and middle-income household. Eisai Co., Ltd.is also working on impact accounting in global health.
I would like to encourage investors, private companies and organizations in each country to further participate in the Triple I, while referring to these preceding good practices.
5 Conclusion
Japan will steadfastly advance these efforts to achieve UHC and strengthen PPR in close cooperation with diverse stakeholders including all of you here with us today.
Thank you.
