Advisory request Dutch efforts to tackle the coronavirus crisis in developing countries
At the debate of 16 April 2020 in the House of Representatives on developments surrounding coronavirus, the government has undertaken to request an urgent advisory report from the AIV on how the Netherlands could contribute effectively and at the appropriate level to global efforts to mitigate the impact of COVID-19.
Minister Kaag: The House is right to call attention to the impact of COVID-19 on the most vulnerable countries, especially in Africa. Many of these countries already have fragile healthcare systems and lack socioeconomic resilience. Capital flight, falling raw-material prices and lockdown-induced unemployment have hit societies’ most vulnerable populations hard, including displaced persons and refugees. Added to this is the impact of a looming global economic recession. Decades of socioeconomic progress in developing countries could be undone, and that would indirectly have negative repercussions for Europe and the Netherlands.
Questions
The minister asks that the AIV addresses the following questions:
- What can the international community do to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on vulnerable countries in the short and medium terms?
- Considering the scope and impact of the crisis, what package of measures would be appropriate within the framework of the large-scale emergency measures taken at national and international level?
- What role should the Netherlands and the European Union play in tackling this crisis and supporting socioeconomic recovery in developing countries? What financial and technical assistance is appropriate considering the scope of the crisis and its impact on vulnerable countries and groups, especially in Africa?