What is the impact of the coronavirus pandemic? Global experts answer the big questions

This is an ongoing series. Please check back for the latest interviews.

Bill Gates

Microsoft founder and co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

In the first interview of this series, Bill Gates assesses the global response to the crisis, the aid developing countries will need to fight the virus and how the world can avoid being caught off-guard by another pandemic. 

Christiana Figueres

executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (2010-16)

Christiana Figueres on why tackling the Covid-19 pandemic, the climate crisis and inequality require integrated solutions, how coronavirus is an opportunity for countries to decarbonise and how the US and China are approaching climate policy.

Jeremy Farrar

director of the wellcome trust

Jeremy Farrar on the global race to develop a Covid-19 vaccine, how to prevent “vaccine nationalism” and the lessons the scientific community has learnt so far from the pandemic.

David Miliband

President and CEO of the international rescue committee

David Miliband on US president Donald Trump’s decision to suspend immigration, the “double emergency” refugees are facing in this pandemic and how a contest is emerging between liberal democracies and authoritarian states over which are handling this crisis better.

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka

executive director of un women

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka explains the impact of coronavirus on women, including those working on the front lines, and the role women are playing in the fight against the pandemic and why they must be represented on the global stage.

Ian Bremmer

President of Eurasia Group and GZERO Media

Ian Bremmer argues there is a lack of global leadership in tackling this crisis and explains how the pandemic is affecting US-China relations and the wider world order.

Akinwumi Adesina

President of THE AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK

Akinwumi Adesina outlines the impact of the coronavirus crisis on African economies, the debt relief and other support countries will need to recover, and why the combined threat of Covid-19 and “Locust-19” could create a perfect storm for Africa.

Kristalina Georgieva

managing director of the IMF

Kristalina Georgieva on the huge economic uncertainty caused by the coronavirus crisis, how Africa is in danger after enjoying a period of growth and how the fund is supporting countries through this crisis.

John E Scanlon

special envoy for african parks and former secretary-general of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

John E Scanlon on whether humans created the conditions that caused the outbreak of Covid-19, how conservation efforts have been affected by the crisis and why a new international wildlife trade regime is needed to avoid the next wildlife-related pandemic.