Equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines will represent an “acid test” for the international community, the President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) told journalists on Wednesday, highlighting the importance of global cooperation and solidarity in beating back the disease. Speaking during a virtual press briefing, ECOSOC President Munir Akram also outlined objectives for the coming year, including plans for a facility to support infrastructure investment in developing countries, and forums to examine issues critical to recovery and achieving sustainable development.
Mr. Akram, who is Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN, stressed that COVID-19 vaccines must be viewed as “a global public good” and thus accessible to everyone, everywhere. He highlighted the groundbreaking international collaboration working to achieve this goal, known as the COVAX Facility, but stated it ultimately was a question of political will whether the entire global population will receive vaccines.
ECOSOC is one of the UN’s six main organs and promotes peace through international economic cooperation. Mr. Akram detailed how the pandemic is having deep impacts globally, but especially in the world’s poorest countries, meaning the international community must fight both the virus and its consequences. He said this calls for an emergency response to mobilize financing for poorer nations, and to support the COVAX Facility and the Secretary-General’s Global Humanitarian Response Plan, both of which are facing significant funding shortfalls.
But he also emphasized the need for broader structural change to address inequality globally.
The ECOSOC President has proposed the creation of a public-private partnership to accelerate investment in sustainable infrastructure in developing countries. Consultations are currently underway. The facility would also utilize the UN’s Resident Coordinator system: a vast network of agencies working on development issues in more than 130 nations worldwide. The rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines has shown how science, technology and innovation can be harnessed towards a common goal, and also applied in global efforts to achieve a sustainable future for all people, he continued. However, Mr. Akram observed that developing countries have often been blocked from accessing breakthrough technologies due to intellectual property issues.
Source: The UN
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