PM urges world to ramp up vaccine production, ensure rapid distribution
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday urged the countries currently producing vaccines for coronavirus to ramp up production and ensure rapid distribution to all, including developing countries.
"While the support offered by some major nations is commendable, more needs to be done," the prime minister said, while addressing the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2021.
He earlier remarked that the forum is being held "at a critical moment in human history"."The world is facing an unprecedented triple challenge: the COVID-19 pandemic; the reversal of economic progress; and the existential threat posed by climate change," he said.
He commended the "excellent role" played by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and "the entire UN system's relief and recovery efforts in the wake of the pandemic". Speaking of Pakistan's efforts to fight COVID19, the prime minister said that the country has been "more fortunate than other countries".
"Through our policies of 'smart lockdowns' and focus on the disadvantaged, we have been able to somehow contain the virus. We managed to save precious lives and at the same time livelihoods," he said.
PM Imran Khan appreciated the international recognition of Pakistan's pandemic containment strategy and the Ehsaas social protection programme.
"We are now making all possible efforts to accelerate our vaccination campaign," he said. The premier said that unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic had "revealed and accentuated the endemic inequalities which exist within and amongst nations".
"The global economy will not recover fully until all countries rich and poor - are enabled to accelerate and expand investment for achieving the SDGs (sustainable development goals) and climate goals," he continued.
The premier said that he believes the following actions, at the national and international level, are "indispensable to respond effectively to the triple crisis".
PM Imran Khan said that it is "essential" that universal and affordable access to COVID-19 vaccines be ensured "to defeat the virus and to revive global trade, investment and growth".
"The world must ramp up vaccine production, including in the developing countries, and ensure its rapid distribution. While the support offered by some major nations is commendable, more needs to be done," he stressed.
The prime minister outlined the following as items of "vital urgency":The waiver of intellectual property rights, even if temporary; Vaccine production under license; Full funding of the COVAX facility; and Provision of grants and concessional lending to enable developing countries to purchase vaccines at fair prices.
The prime minister said that what is also needed is the mobilisation of adequate finance "to enable the developing countries to meet the triple challenge of COVID recovery, SDG implementation and realisation of environmental goals".
There are "synergies in these three challenges" which should be utilised to "build back better", he said. PM Imran Khan said that the high-income countries have been able to inject $17 trillion to stimulate their economies, but others are still struggling.
"The developing countries [...] are estimated to need at least $4.3 trillion to recover from the crises and implement the SDGs. They have so far, unfortunately, secured access to less than 5% of this amount," said the premier.
The prime minister reminded the forum that last September, he had proposed the creation of new IMF Special Drawing Rights "as an effective way to generate development financing". "I welcome the agreement to create $650 billion in new SDRs.