COVID vaccine must be produced in Africa, Latin America, says WTO Director
The head of the World Trade Organization (WTO) said on Thursday that it was of utmost importance to diversify vaccine production and to allow more manufacturings to take place in Africa and Latin America to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
Friday, 21st May 2021
"It is not normal for Africa, with 1.3 billion people, to have 0.17 percent of the world's manufacturing capacity," she said. "So it needs to change." She added that Latin America has about 2 percent of global production capacity.
The summit on Friday, co-hosted by the executive arm of the European Union and Italy, is expected to attract the Group of 20 industrialized and emerging market countries, the heads of international organizations and representatives of global health institutions.The European Union intends to collect many of the same points that Okonjo-Iweala has made, specifically to increase production in Africa.
EU countries have criticized the US call for a waiver of COVID-19 vaccine patents as a way to increase stocks, arguing that the move would not bring about any short-term or interim improvement and can have a negative impact.Okonjo-Iweala wanted to remain neutral on the issue but said WTO members could find the flexibility to ensure that more vaccines are produced in developing countries.
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