Foreign Minister Felipe Solá took part in the Special Ministerial Meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) with the theme “A vaccine for all”. The virtual meeting, attended by more than fifty senior officials of States and Groups of countries, was aimed at discussing current challenges with regard to equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, taking into account the current infrastructure and financing conditions for the production, distribution and supply of doses.
Solá noted that “despite having the first vaccines ready in only twelve months, according to the World Health Organization only 0,1% of the doses administered globally were administered in low-income countries, as opposed to over half of them in high-income countries.”
The Minister then called on the international community to “avoid practices that encourage the shortage of critical supplies, treatments and COVID-19 vaccines.” He also reaffirmed Argentina’s support for solidary funding programmes such as COVAX, and highlighted the importance of applying the flexibilities provided by the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), for the purpose of promoting vaccine production, competition and local development.
Solá stated that “COVID-19 vaccines must be considered a global public good to ensure universal access”, and highlighted the importance of “removing the obstacles that prevent us from increasing production and guaranteeing equitable distribution.” “Nobody is safe until everyone is,” he added.
