Cross-perspectives: 2020, a year marked by the Covid-19 crisis

By Jean-Marie Sander, President of the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation until March 2021 and
Raphaël Appert, President of the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation since March 2021 &
Vice-President of Crédit Agricole SA and National Federation of Crédit Agricole

A little over 30 years ago, Michel Serres shared with us the need for a "Natural Contract" analogous to the "Social Contract," which called for reconciliation between humans, nature, and all living things. The year 2020 was a terrible one for fragile economies.

The good health of the Foundation, which has adapted throughout the year to the economic effects of this crisis, does not reflect the tragedies that have played out and are still playing out in the territories of our partners where social safety nets are almost non-existent. Faced with the pandemic and its impact on daily life, family solidarity was often the rare relief found by populations on very low incomes.

Although its anthropocentric origins remain to be demonstrated, this health crisis invites us to become aware of our inclusion in nature, reminds us of our humility in the face of the natural order and entrusts us with the care not only of developing humanity but also of maintaining it.

The economic effects of the pandemic have affected the entire world, but particularly vulnerable populations: according to World Bank figures, they could quickly push 150 million people into extreme poverty. As far as we are concerned, we must avoid complacency about the likely ability to regain some semblance of economic growth, which we all know will not quickly and equitably reach the most vulnerable populations.

In this economic recovery, the Foundation will mobilize its entire force in 2021, as much work remains to be done to try to change the machine that creates inequality in the face of tragedy. To achieve this, we will need to rely on our professionalism, our determination, and the values that guide our daily actions.

It is with this ambition that we created the Foundation with Professor Yunus in 2008. It is with this same ambition that we will continue to engage in the coming months.