The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) took delivery of the majority of US$3 million worth of PPE at the Port of Bridgetown. CDB procured and purchased the equipment with concessional resources through the Bank’s Special Development Fund.

Parte de adaptarse a la "nueva normalidad" es encontrar formas de vivir nuestras vidas de manera segura”, explicó Tedros Adhanon Gebreyesus.

“Se trata de tomar buenas decisiones. Estamos pidiendo a todos que tomen las decisiones sobre dónde ir, qué hacer y a quién ver como si fueran decisiones de vida o muerte; porque lo son. Puede no ser tu vida, pero tu elección puede marcar la diferencia entre la vida y la muerte de alguien a quien amas o de un extraño”, dijo.

“We must remember that most people are still susceptible to this virus. As long as it’s circulating, everyone is at risk”, said Tedros (Adhanom Ghebreyesus), adding, “just because cases might be at a low level where you live, that doesn’t make it safe to let down your guard.”

“In recent years we’ve seen young people leading grassroots movements for climate change and racial equality. Now we need young people to start a global movement for health – for a world in which health is a human right, not a privilege”, he suggested.

Rebeca Grynspan, Secretaria General Iberoamericana (SEGIB), y Cassio Luiselli, miembro del Consejo Asesor para la Seguridad Alimentaria de las Américas, se encargaron del análisis de ambos panoramas, de modo de proponer respuestas adecuadas para reforzar la cooperación entre los países y mitigar los efectos de la pandemia.

Según consideraron, para la reactivación económica y la seguridad alimentaria de la región latinoamericana y el Caribe será crucial aprovechar el potencial del multilateralismo, mantener el flujo de mercancías, minimizar barreras comerciales, promover cadenas productivas con más valor agregado, una mejor comercialización y distribución de alimentos, así como fortalecer la agricultura familiar.

Alicia Bárcena advirtió que la región está en riesgo de una verdadera crisis alimentaria. Precisó que más de 96 millones de personas estarán en situación de pobreza extrema, 11,8% de ellas en ciudades y 29% en zonas rurales.

“La alerta es enorme, se reducen los ingresos de los hogares y su acceso a la canasta alimentaria. No es que haya falta de alimentos, es que no hay recursos para poder adquirirlos. Esto se suma a la baja calidad nutricional que están viviendo sobre todo las familias más pobres”, insistió.

El informe “Temporary Basic Income: Protecting Poor and Vulnerable People in Developing Countries” (Ingreso Básico Temporal: Proteger a las Personas Pobres y Vulnerables en los Países en Desarrollo), se estima que costaría US$ 199.000 millones ofrecer un ingreso básico garantizado durante seis meses a los 2.700 millones de personas que viven por debajo o apenas por encima del umbral de pobreza en 132 países en desarrollo.

En el informe se ha determinado que esa medida es viable y urgentemente necesaria, ya que la pandemia está avanzando actualmente a un ritmo que supera los 1,5 millones de nuevos casos por semana, en especial en los países en desarrollo, donde 7 de cada 10 trabajadores generan su sustento a través de mercados informales y no pueden obtener ingresos si permanecen en sus hogares.

El Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID) aprobó un préstamo de US$130 millones para apoyar la sostenibilidad financiera de corto plazo de las Micro, Pequeñas y Medianas Empresas (MiPyME) como sostén del empleo en Bolivia frente a la crisis del COVID-19 y sus efectos en el tejido productivo.

El programa espera beneficiar como mínimo a aproximadamente 12.000 MiPyME afectadas por la crisis, mediante créditos que se otorgarán a través de las Instituciones Financieras elegibles, destinándose un monto superior al 30 por ciento del total de los recursos a empresas propiedad de mujeres.

This note was developed by the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities (CFE) in collaboration with the OECD Working Party for Urban Policy and the OECD Champion Mayors Initiative for Inclusive Growth. It is an update of the version released on 27 March, which expands the examples of measures taken by cities to respond to COVID-19 and provides analysis on issues related to the economic impact, density, resilience and collaboration with national governments. Short and medium term responses provided by cities are clustered around six categories: i) social distancing; ii) workplace and commuting; iii) vulnerable groups; iv) local service delivery; v) support to business; and vi) communication, awareness raising and digital tools. The note also includes new information on how cities are progressively exiting the lockdown and on lessons learned in terms of density, mobility and digitalisation. It concludes with action-oriented guidance to build back better cities, building on previous work on urban resilience. Annex A provides more detailed information on the inventoried city initiatives. Annex B maps efforts from selected organisations and city networks to collect city responses and foster knowledge and experience sharing. This is a working and living document, whose next version will be released by the end of June

With multilateral cooperation under strain, senior UN officials, Nobel laureates and eminent academic experts, gathered virtually on Wednesday for the launch of a new report recommending “an adjusted approach” to economic development, and a policy dialogue exploring how countries can recover from COVID-19, in ways that lead to real structural transformation.

The severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global economic conditions has resulted in an unprecedented number of member countries seeking financial support from the IMF. As of July 13, 2020, 72 countries have already received financial assistance from the IMF’s emergency financing instruments since the onset of the pandemic, facilitated by the doubling of annual access limits under these facilities approved by the Executive Board on April 6. Further requests for assistance, the majority of which are likely to be met through the IMF’s regular lending instruments, are expected in the months ahead.

“Laws and policies that are grounded in science, evidence and human rights can enable people to access health services, protect themselves from COVID-19 and live free from stigma, discrimination and violence,” says Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator. “The COVID-19 Law Lab is an important tool for sharing good practices on laws and policies.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged clinicians, public health authorities, companies and governments to quickly develop new capabilities for supporting recovery, maintaining health security, and building resilience. Digital tools and strategies have become crucial in this effort.
This document is an update of the Early Compendium of Technology Responses to COVID-19 published in April 2020. It more than triples the number of solutions, providing better visibility into the diverse uses of technology for the COVID-19 response.

Ciertas enfermedades crónicas subyacentes, como la diabetes, la enfermedad renal y la hipertensión, así como enfermedades infecciosas como la tuberculosis o los inmunosuprimidos, colocan a las personas en mayor riesgo de padecer una forma de COVID-19 más grave.

"Desafortunadamente, muchas de estas condiciones médicas están muy extendidas en las Américas, lo que hace que nuestra región sea más vulnerable", dijo hoy Etienne en una sesión informativa para medios de comunicación.

Las medidas de respuesta de los gobiernos frente a la pandemia de la #COVID19 han puesto de manifiesto la estrecha relación que existe entre salud pública y medio ambiente. Habida cuenta de ello, promover la calidad medioambiental y la salud puede contribuir a prevenir pandemias y crisis relacionadas con el clima en el futuro.

This daily round-up brings you a selection of the latest news updates on the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, as well as tips and tools to help you stay informed and protected. Top stories: South Korea flu vaccine troubles; grim milestones for Mexico and the US; restrictions are relaxed in Bogota; Disneyland Hong Kong reopens.

En este espacio mantendremos actualizadas las medidas que están tomando los países para: 1)  mitigar los efectos del COVID-19 sobre el sector alimentario, y 2) medidas de preparación para acelerar la recuperación y continuidad de la actividad agroalimentaria luego de que se contenga la propagación del virus.

At one point, Spain was among the countries impacted most by COVID-19. At the outbreak’s peak, close to 10,000 new cases were reported in a single day in Spain. Since then, intensive efforts, led by robust surveillance, testing, contact tracing, treatment and isolation, have managed to suppress transmission.

Dr Tedros said this shift was due to the leadership shown by Spain and the strong resolve shown by the Spanish public to adhere to strict restrictions, including lockdowns, physical distancing and other critical measures to contain transmission. These efforts, combined, have successfully changed the course of the country’s outbreak.

The joint OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2020-2029 report finds that over the next ten years supply growth is going to outpace demand growth, causing real prices of most commodities to remain at or below their current levels. Fluctuations in the driving factors of supply and demand could lead to strong price variations around this general path. At the same time, a decrease in disposable incomes in low-income countries and households caused by COVID-19 is expected to depress demand in the early years of this outlook and could further undermine food security.

Reducing inequality and improving social mobility, identifying new forms of growth, and focusing on new measures of economic performance are among the biggest challenges facing the global economy as countries emerge from lockdown. Current unemployment figures are likely a better barometer of economic health than financial market valuations, and the deglobalization of supply chains may force emerging markets to reconsider growth models. These are some of the findings of the World Economic Forum’s Chief Economists Outlook, published today.

Aunque todavía no hay datos disponibles sobre el aumento de la pobreza multidimensional a nivel mundial tras la pandemia, simulaciones realizadas para 70 países en desarrollo a partir de los efectos anticipados del virus en dos indicadores del IPM global —nutrición y asistencia escolar—, nos ofrecen una idea de cuál podría ser el impacto de la crisis si no se toman las medidas adecuadas.