2021 New Year Message

What better way to mark New Year's Day than to walk along a bush trail in beautiful New Zealand. I begin the year with optimism that the world will begin to work its way out of the pandemic, through a combination of continuing public health measures and the roll out of vaccines. The rollout will take time even in the most affluent countries, and much more support is needed for COVAX, the global vaccine facility which aims to support rollout to low and middle income countries. Until all of us are safe from COVID-19, none of us are safe. See this link for more on COVAX.

2021 should also be a year when countries are planning and implementing economic and social recovery from the pandemic based on principles of inclusion, building resilience to adverse events, and sustainability. It's time to dust off the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals again - pursuing those would make a real difference for us all.

I wish everyone all the best for the New Year. Let's see it as an opportunity to build a better world. Check out The Guardian's list of some of the important events which lie ahead.