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By Zintle Mahlati 
15h ago
Johannesburg – Vaccine nationalism could harm developing countries like South Africa as global attention has shifted to procuring vaccines, warns Minister for International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor.
As many countries in Europe have started to experience a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, global attention has focused on the procurement of vaccines.
The UK became the first country to start administering the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine to its citizens.
Pandor said there were concerns that rich countries would conserve large quantities of vaccines at the expense of developing nations.
Richer countries were feared to hoard their stocks and use intellectual property rights to block developing countries’ access to vaccines.
“Vaccine nationalism” was a very real threat as it would create supply problems for the poorest countries, thereby denying their citizens access to life-saving vaccines, he said.
Pandor said that the AU Commission and the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are making efforts to ensure that all countries have access to Covid-19 vaccines, as that is crucial to cooperative efforts.
Defeating this virus still requires countries to collaborate with each other and work with multilateral institutions to ensure that all people have access to the necessary medical and health interventions, and that they benefit from the economic and social measures necessary for a sustained response to the pandemic”. said the minister.
Speaking about other pandemic-related issues that Dirco had addressed this year, Pandor said that one of the biggest challenges his office faced was the repatriation of stranded South Africans who had traveled abroad, as many countries closed their borders during March and April. .
Slightly more than 30,000 South Africans were repatriated during the total shutdown, the minister said.
“From the moment the president announced the level 5 blockade of South Africa on March 15 until the moment international travel under level 1 was again allowed, my department, through our consular services, managed to repatriate at little more than 30,000 South Africans who were stranded from all corners of the world, using more than 350 flights. The number excludes tens of thousands who used our land borders. ”
And as the holiday season begins, Pandor warned South Africans who plan to visit countries in Europe and the US, as those regions were experiencing a second wave.
She said they need to be aware that they face being stranded as borders in some countries could close at any time. International flights may be canceled on short notice.
“Please note that you will travel at your own risk to these countries knowing current circumstances and future uncertainties. Make sure you are familiar with the immigration and health requirements of the country you will visit and the health requirements of South Africa during the pandemic. ”
Political Bureau
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