G20 have played a major role this year by providing financial, economic, and social support to countries across the globe…

G20-2020 summit has facilitated the world economies with funds and discussions for building up healthy, thriving, and eco friendly economies. And the progress on the policies discussed can be observed as the G20 under the presidency of Italy continues to work on the implementation.

G20 is an international forum consisting of 19 countries and the European Union (EU). It has been a very strong instrument for quick and efficient decision making since it came into action in 2008 at the time of the global financial crisis. Although G20 began in 1999, at the time it was created to respond to the financial crisis in East Asia by having a bigger economic pool when it didn’t exist. The vision of G20 has come a long way since 1999. Even though it was initiated in 1999 they were few years of inactiveness till 2008.

In 2008, it got revived and played a major role in the global financial crisis by acting as an emergency crisis forum for the leaders of the world who together pledged to invest $1.1 trillion into the economies to help the countries and businesses around the world to keep moving even at the times of the crisis.

“G20 plays a critical role in creating and enabling environment for inclusive global growth and development. Its work on ensuring financial stability, promoting growth, and avoiding and managing crises”, said Saud Rehman, a journalist from Media-24 who reported on G20-2020 summit in Riyadh.

“The G20 anti-corruption and integrity agenda plays an important role in promoting sustainable development”, added Saud.

The work of G20 can be divided into two tracks, financial and Sherpa. The financial track consists of G20 finance ministers, central bank governors and deputies discussing the financial and economic issues. Rehman also added that the monetary and fiscal policies, infrastructure investment, financial regulation, financial inclusion, and international taxations were some of the issues which were discussed under the financial track this year.

On the other hand, the Sherpa track focuses on socio-economic issues such as health, education, trade, women empowerment, employment, anti-corruption, tourism, agriculture and water, energy, climate, and environment.

G20 have played a major role this year by providing financial, economic, and social support to countries across the globe in their fight against the pandemic.

“There is no doubt that helping the world cope up with the pandemic became a priority for Saudi Arabia, and the G20’s efforts have led to the commitment of more than $21 billion to support the production, distribution and availability of vaccines and drugs”, said Saud Rehman while discussing the contributions of G20 towards this pandemic.

“G20 countries pledged, after the outbreak, more than $21 billion to support the immediate funding needs, notably for the development of diagnostic tools, vaccines and effective therapeutics. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia contributed $500m to support these efforts”, said Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman in his speech at the G20-2020 summit.

G20 under the presidency of Saudi Arabia this year has also provided $11 trillion along with leading countries to help the world overcome the devastating effects of the pandemic. “We injected over $11 trillion into the global economy to support businesses and protect individuals’ livelihoods. This is an unprecedented G20 economic stimulus”, said Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman.

Given the situation due to the COVID-19, this summit was one of the most important since the leaders first met to form the G20, 12-years ago. King Salman, while addressing at the G20 summit urged nations across the globe to brace themselves better for any future pandemics to avoid the potential economic and social damages. 

The efforts of G20 continues under the Italian presidency as a workshop was organized on May 25th discussing the crucial steps for Global Initiative on Reducing Land Degradation and Enhancing Conservation of Terrestrial Habitats, launched in 2020 by the G20 leaders during the Presidency held by Saudi Arabia.

On 29^th June 2021 for the first time in the G20 history, a joint session of the foreign and development ministers will be held in Matera Italy. The meeting will feature two sessions, the first one will focus on global governance, multilateralism, and sustainable and resilient recovery of the economies after the pandemic. The second session is devoted to the relations with the African continent with a specific focus on sustainable development additionally inclusion of young people, trade, fight against climate change and energy transition will also be discussed.

The three pillars of G20 Italian presidency are people, planet, prosperity, in line with the “build back better” common thread aimed at promoting a sustainable, inclusive and resilient recovery.

Jaafar Siddiqui earned Bachelors in Journalism from the University of Hertfordshire — United Kingdom. He writes for The Milli Chronicle on Business, Politics, and Culture.

Huseyin Goksoy, a tailor who was so stressed about going hungry during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic that he was briefly bedridden with a hernia, is increasingly worried about his future as Turkey strains to curb poverty.

He is not alone.

Though a two-month lockdown ended in June, about four million Turks still rely on state aid to get by, while even more informal workers missed out on most of the financial support.

Polls and academic research paint a grim picture ahead of the day when President Tayyip Erdogan’s government is expected to lift a temporary ban on layoffs, possibly as soon as November.

Goksoy, 48, makes face masks to help cover losses from earlier this year when he could not get a subsidized small-business loan because there was no guarantor in his conservative neighborhood in central Istanbul.

“People don’t get dressed up when they don’t work, so I only repaired tears and it was 5-10 liras ($1) a day – if that,” he said. “I still can’t send money to my kids when they want it. If I do a bad job, I’d go hungry.”

Data and polls show that fear and disillusionment like this are unprecedented across the labor market. Those hardest hit are the same Turks who benefited from years of Erdogan’s welfare policies that helped to sharply reduce income inequalities.

One study by Turkish economists Ayse Aylin Bayar, Oner Guncavdi and Haluk Levent predicts the number of impoverished Turks could double this year to nearly 20 million, and set back by two decades progress in narrowing inequality.

That would effectively wipe out the successes of Erdogan’s Islamist-rooted AK Party (AKP) and could test his staunchest voter base at the next general election set for 2023.

Goksoy – whose shop is near the president’s childhood home – said he still supported AKP though he would change his mind if he thought the party was no longer honest.

Unsustainable

Erdogan said on Monday the economy would emerge stronger from the pandemic even though its effects linger, adding that the government’s 100 billion lira ($13 billion) aid program helped lower-income households.

Representatives of the presidency and the finance ministry, which administers the aid, did not immediately respond to questions about rising poverty.

The aid scheme partially covers wages of many registered workers and funded some 2 million needy households. Big cities run by the main opposition party chipped in other funds and food supplies.

But Turkey’s mix of low-skilled labor in which a third of workers informally earn cash daily, a private sector dominated by small businesses and public finances already strained from a 2018-2019 recession leaves the country uniquely vulnerable.

Reserves at the central bank, which backstopped much of the pandemic response, have fallen sharply and accelerated a plunge in the Turkish lira to all-time lows. That in turn raises prices for basic imported goods.

By law, Erdogan can extend the ban on layoffs beyond November to mid-2021 to shield workers, but at a fiscal cost.

“These are not sustainable policies,” said Guncavdi, an economist at Istanbul Technical University who co-authored the study predicting a jump in poverty.

“When they are removed, there is potential for upheaval with mass layoffs, a spike in destitution, family structures being tested and potential demonizing of minorities and refugees.”

Turkey’s 3.6 million Syrian refugees faced backlash in past downturns, and those left unemployed this year had little safety net.

Retired florist Kemal Erdogan, 76, said this week he supports AKP but added that with the poor now getting poorer it was clear Turkey welcomed too many foreigners who are “living better lives than you and I”.Slideshow (2 Images)

Lockdown Anxities

An unprecedented collapse in employment endured after the lockdown was lifted in June and July, driven by workers not formally on payrolls, government data showed on Thursday.

A record 1.4 million were too discouraged to search for work, up nearly threefold from a year ago. Of those who had jobs last month, nearly half were “very afraid” of losing them by winter, a poll by Istanbul Economics Research found.

Can Selcuki, general manager of the consultancy, said that likely reflects workers’ suspicion that they will be laid off “the minute” the layoff ban is lifted. He added that support for Erdogan’s ruling alliance dipped to 44% in a poll this month, from 46% in August after a summer bounce.

Turkey, like several other countries, banned layoffs in April when it also closed most businesses, shut borders and intercity travel and adopted partial stay-at-home orders.

Large gatherings were curbed, leaving Mehmet Coskun, a wedding drummer without social security, only a third of his usual gigs. “I don’t know what to do when my loan payments come along,” he said. “Perhaps I can sell water or clean buildings.”

Such lost jobs in the service, tourism and construction sectors are hurting Turkey’s poorest households the most, according to the World Bank. The bank, however, predicts that the poverty rate will rise less than forecast in the Turkish study, to about 12% from 10%, contained in part by the state aid.

A recent rise in coronavirus cases to early May levels only raises anxieties.

Meryem Yildirim, who opened a women’s clothing shop in Istanbul two months ago, said a return to lockdown was her worst nightmare.

“All small businesses think this way now,” said the mother of two, adding she took out a loan to pay rent and to cover a second loan on the shop.

(For a graphic on discouraged workers, click here)

(For a graphic on employment and workforce participation, click here)

($1 = 7.4894 liras)

Shoeb Siddiqi

If their sacrifices result in abandoning them, then that would be more than death for them.

Parents are the original P.P.E for their children, they are our “Personal Protective Equipment” in our childhood against all odds, and elderly parents are an obligation on children, especially in Indian culture, care for elderly parents is perceived as a filial obligation. If not, it is the moral responsibility of the children to take care of their aging parents. Any child would go beyond his/her capacity to take care of the parents to ensure they survive this pandemic or at least live their lives with dignity.

While dealing with aging parents it is certainly stressful to control emotions as caretakers, helping them, smiling at them, talking to them, not letting them feel alone or left out. The very people whom you were dependent on in past, now they need your assistance possibly professional help.

More often children are considered as assets for supporting parents in their old age, however, it is devastating to read the incidents of children abandoning their parents at a time when the pandemic is gripping all over the world, while mostly the elderly ones being vulnerable to it, or the ones with comorbidities need to be taken care.

• In a report 70-year-old paralyzed mother was abandoned on road by her three sons, who later took her after police counseled them.

• In a shocking incident in Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur district, a man abandoned his 80-year-old ailing mother at a bus station and fled after she was tested positive for COVID-19.

• A daughter denied performing the funeral last rites of her father in Telangana’s Suryapet. She drew his savings of Rs 4,00,000 and did not help him getting treated.

• An 80-year-old father who worked for his entire life and shared his savings of Rs 8 Crore, went homeless later due to his sons.

• In Medchal, a 77-year-old mother, who was unwell for quite some time, was left abandoned at a bus stop after his son snatched away Rs 40,000 from her.

• A similar incident was reported in Hyderabad, an elderly woman was left, but later one of his grandsons took her back.

It is unfortunate to see such incidents occurring at the peak of this pandemic. Parents suffer and provide luxuries to their children even if they are unable to meet their own necessities. If their sacrifices result in abandoning them, then that would be more than death for them.

• Akin to this, a 50-year-old single mother traveled 1,400 km in lockdown to bring back his stranded son on a moped, even the youngsters making road trips on their cruise bikes wouldn’t be able to take up such missions, but it is the love and determination that enabled her to undertake this extraordinary journey.

• Migrant labor from on a 1,300 km walk from Andhra Pradesh to Chhattisgarh was spotted carrying his two children on a milkmaid’s yoke, this reminded many Indians the story of Shravan Kumar carrying his old blind parents on two baskets.

• A woman laborer was found dragging her five-year-old son on a suitcase, setting on her journey of 800 kms. The incident wrenched the hearts of many during the lockdown.

• In a similar experience, one of my close friends, traveled to look after his ill-father, it took him 28 hours of long drive that was 1,500 km road trip. With the fear that he would be dissuaded by the state police, he sought permits from about three to four states, and he spent most of his saving in treating his father.

Religion of Islam has ordained the children to honor and respect their parents and look after them while they are aging.

God instructs in the Quran to treat parents with great consideration and if either of them reaches their old age, do not even use expressions of frustrations.

“And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], ‘uff’, and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word. And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, “My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small.” [Quran 17:22-23]

“And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination.” [Quran 31:14]

Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) said: “God has forbidden to be undutiful to mothers”.

Living parents are more important to be looked after than the holiness of Jihad, as narrated by Abdullah Ibn Amr, that a man asked Prophet (peace be upon him) regarding his participation in Jihad. Prophet asked him to look after his parents if they are alive, and said “Do Jihad for their benefit”.

It’s seriously disheartening to see people mistreating and abandoning their parents, while it’s incumbent upon them to understand that PPE stands for Pandemic Parents and Emotions.

His comments were echoed by Danny Altmann, a professor of Immunology at Imperial College London, who said the “collateral damage” from deploying any vaccine that is not yet known to be safe and effective “would exacerbate our current problems insurmountably”.

Even as Russia declared victory, more than half a dozen drugmakers around the world are in the process of conducting large-scale, advanced human trials of their potential COVID-19 vaccines, each with tens of thousands of volunteer participants.

Several of these frontrunners, including Moderna (MRNA.O), Pfizer (PFE.N) and AstraZeneca (AZN.L), say they hope to know if their vaccines work and are safe by the end of this year.

All are expected to publish their trial results and safety data and submit them to regulators in the United States, Europe and elsewhere for scrutiny before any licence could be granted.

The Russian vaccine’s approval by the Health Ministry comes before trials that would normally involve thousands of participants, commonly known as a Phase III trial. Such trials are usually considered essential precursors for a vaccine to secure regulatory approval.

Peter Kremsner, an expert at Germany’s University Hospital in Tuebingen who is working on clinical trials of a vaccine candidate from CureVac, said Russia’s move was “reckless”.

“Normally you need a large number of people to be tested before you approve a vaccine,” he said. “I think it’s reckless to do that if lots of people haven’t already been tested.”

Experts said the lack of published data on Russia’s vaccine – including how it is made and details on safety, immune response and whether it can prevent COVID-19 infection – leaves scientists, health authorities and the public in the dark.

“It is not possible to know if the Russian vaccine has been shown to be effective without submission of scientific papers for analysis,” said Keith Neal, a specialist in the epidemiology of infectious diseases at Britain’s Nottingham University.