20-Jan-2019: Beirut hosts Arab Economic and Social Development Summit
Participants at the 4th Arab Economic and Social Development Summit, held in Beirut, urged the international community to support countries that bear the burden of hosting Syrian refugees. In a concluding statement called the Beirut Declaration, representatives from 20 countries called on donors to implement development projects to mitigate the economic and social impact of refugees.
They called on the international community to use all available resources to find effective solutions for the refugee crisis and to redouble collective efforts to create conditions conducive for refugees to return to their homeland.
Summit participants also stressed the importance of adopting proactive policies to build a workforce that can develop digital economies.
They called for progress on the Greater Arab Free Trade Zone and Arab Customs Union; agreed on a programme to integrate women and girls into the local development process; and a strategy to protect displaced and refugee children.
Following the summit, Qatar pledged to purchase $500 million worth of Lebanese government bonds. This has had a direct positive impact, reflected in a rise in the value of government debt securities. The Qatari decision will have direct and impactful effect on the currency market in Lebanon.
Lebanon also will benefit from a Kuwaiti initiative to establish a technology and economy investment fund, which now totals $200 million, with Kuwait and Qatar each contributing $50 million to it.
The summit also stressed the need to develop women's capacities and activate their role so they can contribute to economic development. Lebanese women are prominent entrepreneurs, but Lebanese and Arab businesswomen must network in order for their contribution to development and economic life to be more effective.
11-Jan-2019: 25th edition of Partnership Summit in Mumbai
The 25th edition of Partnership Summit 2019, a global platform for dialogue, debate, deliberation and engagement among Indian and global leaders on economic policy and growth trends in India, is being held in Mumbai from tomorrow. The two-day event will be inaugurated by the Vice President of India, M Venkaiah Naidu. The Summit is expected to build new partnerships and explore investment opportunities through high level exchanges and B2B meetings.
This edition of the Summit, on 12th and 13th January 2019, will showcase India in the present landscape of an emerging “New India”, the “New Global Economic Address”. The Summit is being organized by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, State Government of Maharashtra and Confederation of Indian Industry.
The Summit will see New India in active engagement and collaboration within the country and with the world. Discussions will be held among key stake holders - policy makers, institutions, business, media and academia. The themes of the sessions in the two days of the Summit will cover topics like:
- Partnering with New India.
- Reforms and De-regulation – Strategies to Boost Investment.
- The Infra Expanse – A Super Imperative for Growth.
- The Inclusion Dynamics – A Digital Wireframe for all.
The Summit also see the discussions on the critical sectoral series:
- Innovations
- India 4.0: AI, Big Data
- Agri and Food Processing
- Heath Care
- Tourism and Hospitality
- Defence and Aeronautics
- Renewable Energy
Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu will preside over as Chair of the Summit and will deliver the keynote address on the opening day of the Summit.
On the side-lines of the Summit, Suresh Prabhu will hold bilateral meetings with Trade Minister of South Korea, Minister of Economy of UAE, Mr. Stepan Kubiv, First Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine, Secretary of State for Commerce, Cambodia, Minister of Industry, Commerce & Supplies, Nepal, Minister of State for Economic Development of the Maldives and Mr. Crispin Simon, The British Deputy High Commission in India. The Indian Commerce Minister will also meet representatives from Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia.
9-Oct-2018: 2nd World Conference on Access to Medical Products: Achieving the SDGs 2030
India is deeply committed nationally and globally to achieving all public health goals. Together we are working towards providing highest possible standards of health care for our citizens. Universal health coverage is key to the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 agenda and to which India is firmly committed. 2nd World Conference on Access to Medical Products: Achieving the SDGs 2030 was inaugurated today.
At the function, Shri J P Nadda released the Position Paper and launched the Information Sharing Platform Gateway for South-East Asia Regulatory Network (SEARN) developed by Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, which will promote regulatory and health collaboration among the countries of the South-East Asia Region.
The National Health Policy 2017 is dedicated to the highest possible standards of health for the country. “The Government has launched Ayushman Bharat, a National Health Protection Scheme, which envisions health assurance of 5 lakh rupees (6815 USD) per family per year, will benefit over 50 crore (i.e. 500 million) people, and is the world's biggest health assurance scheme. He further added that, since its launch on 23rd September, 2018, more than 50,000 people have availed of services under the scheme.
The Union Health Minister stated that access to medical products and creating an enabling legal and trade environment for public health are critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 Agenda. “These issues require continuous engagement and dialogue. I believe that the Health Ministry with active partnership of other ministries in Government of India will move forward in leaps and bounds,”. India is actively contributing and providing support for the South-East Asia Regulatory Network (SEARN) to guarantee access to high-quality medical products.
Strengthening R&D and upholding education standards in the Indian Systems of Medicines, promoting the cultivation of medicinal plants used, and working on Pharmacopoeia standards are areas with positive public health potential outcomes. The diagnosis of modern medicine combined with the treatment modalities of the Ayurveda, Yoga, Homeopathy and other systems of AYUSH will help in giving a holistic approach to treatment.
Sustainable Development Goals are the mantra for a better future for all and access to medicines is a critical factor for success of the SDG Agenda that aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being of all people of all ages. Universal Health Coverage and access to medicines is also one of the regional flagship priorities for countries in the WHO South-East Asia region. India is committed to attainment of the highest possible standards of health for its citizens.
The WHO has embarked on the 13th Global Programme of Work (GPW13) for strategic direction in Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 (SDG) for health which is vital for the future of our world. GPW 13 is structured around the “triple billion” goal for three interconnected strategic priorities of Healthy Lives, Universal Health Coverage and health emergencies. Reliable access to effective, safe, quality-assured and affordable medical products are keys to making progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the SDGs.
The main objective of the 2nd World Conference 2018 is to take forward the recommendations from the 1st World Conference 2017 and build on the work done for access to medical products in the context of SDGs (including trade agreements) in line with GPW 13 of WHO, foster new approaches in innovation landscape for medical products and health technologies for accelerating research and innovation and identify knowledge, information and policy options on the interface of international trade and health to achieve SDG 2030 goals.