Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, February 27th, by wire Summary: Many parties around the world call for international cooperation to promote fair access to the new crown vaccine
Xinhua News Agency reporter
The United Nations Security Council unanimously passed a resolution on the 26th, calling for help in conflict-affected or impoverished areas to equitably obtain the new crown vaccine. In response, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press conference in Geneva that day that he was very happy to see the Security Council vote for fair access to the new crown vaccine.
“If the vaccine is not fair, we will not be able to defeat the new crown epidemic, and the world will not be able to recover from the epidemic quickly. This is obvious.” Tedros said, “Sharing the new crown vaccine is actually the best way to restore normal life and livelihood. Cooperation is in the interest of all countries.”
Currently, the global vaccine distribution is polarized. Tan Desai said in early February that although the global vaccination volume has now exceeded the number of infections, more than three-quarters of vaccination occurred in 10 countries accounting for nearly 60% of global GDP, and nearly 2.5 billion people 130 countries have not even received a dose of the new crown vaccine.
UN Secretary-General Guterres recently stated at the UN Security Council’s public debate on the distribution of new crown vaccines that vaccine equity is the most severe moral test facing human society. It is necessary to ensure that all people in all regions can receive the new crown vaccine as soon as possible.
He said that if the new coronavirus is allowed to continue to wreak havoc in underdeveloped areas, the virus will continue to mutate and may produce a mutated virus that is more easily spread, more deadly, and invalidates current vaccines and diagnoses. This situation will prolong the epidemic, developed regions will also be hit again, and the global economic recovery will also be delayed. Together, the international community can ensure adequate supply and fair distribution of vaccines, build confidence in vaccines, and defeat the new coronavirus.
The importance of promoting fair global access to the new crown vaccine has gradually been recognized by all countries. The leaders of the 27 EU countries held a video summit on the 25th to discuss and coordinate the fight against the epidemic. At the meeting, the EU once again expressed its desire to help low- and middle-income countries obtain vaccines. European Commission President Von der Lein said that EU assistance to the WHO-led “New Coronary Pneumonia Vaccine Implementation Plan” has doubled to 1 billion euros.
African countries are currently actively promoting new crown vaccination, but it is not easy to obtain the vaccine compared with developed countries. South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Pandor, said at the African Union meeting in early February that some developed countries have used their economic advantages to hoard a large amount of vaccines. Even if poor African countries have participated in vaccine clinical trials, it is very difficult to obtain vaccines. fair.
South African President Ramaphosa called on leaders of all countries to support the WHO’s “New Coronary Pneumonia Vaccine Implementation Plan” on the 23rd to ensure that all countries in the world can obtain the vaccine quickly and fairly.
Ramaphosa previously stated at the World Economic Forum’s “Davos Agenda” dialogue that if the worldwide pandemic is to be ended, cooperation in vaccine promotion must be expanded to ensure that all countries do not fall behind in vaccine acquisition. King Abdullah II of Jordan also called on the dialogue meeting that the new crown epidemic is still raging and the international community must work hard to turn the vaccine into a public product and ensure its fair and effective distribution.
Azerbaijani President Aliyev called for the promotion of fair distribution of the new crown vaccine among countries in a press conference held in the capital Baku on the 26th to prevent vaccine nationalism. Azerbaijan has ordered the new crown vaccine from China Kexing Company and is rapidly launching vaccination work.
China has always been a practitioner of promoting a fair distribution of vaccines worldwide. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Zhao Lijian said on the 25th that China has provided or is currently providing assistance for the new crown vaccine to 53 countries, and has exported vaccines to 27 countries. China will continue to work with all parties to promote the equitable distribution of vaccines on a global scale.
At the same time, China actively leverages its industrial chain advantages to support and assist other countries to process and produce vaccine products in China or locally, and help increase global production capacity. In addition, at the request of the WHO, China decided to provide 10 million doses of domestic vaccine to the “New Coronary Pneumonia Vaccine Implementation Plan” to meet the urgent needs of developing countries. (Note-holder: Luo Guofang; participating reporters: Wang Jiangang, Liu Qu, Li Ming, Jing Jing, Shang Xuqian, Shen Zhonghao, Ling Xin, Li Jizhi)
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