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(Photo: EPA-EFE / Sebastiao Moreira)
More than 140 world leaders, including the President of South Africa and the President of the African Union, Cyril Ramaphosa, have signed an open letter asking all governments to unite behind a ‘popular vaccine’ against Covid-19, saying it is the best hope to stop the global pandemic. The call was made just days before health ministers virtually met for the World Health Assembly on May 18.
We call on the health ministers of the World Health Assembly on May 18 to urgently join the vaccine of people against this disease. Governments and international partners must come together around a global guarantee that ensures that when a safe and effective vaccine is developed, it is produced quickly at scale and made available to everyone, in all countries, free of charge .
The same applies to all treatments, diagnostics, and other technologies for Covid-19.
We recognize that many countries and international organizations are moving towards this goal, cooperating multilaterally in research and development, financing and access, including welcoming the $ 8 billion pledged on May 4. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the public and private sectors and billions of dollars of publicly funded research, many vaccine candidates are advancing with unprecedented speed and several have begun clinical trials.
Our world will only be safer once everyone can benefit from science and gain access to a vaccine, and that is a political challenge.
The World Health Assembly must forge a global agreement that guarantees rapid universal access to vaccines and treatments of guaranteed quality with prioritized needs above the ability to pay.
It is time for health ministers to renew the commitments made at the foundation of the World Health Organization, where all states agreed to offer “the highest possible level of health as a fundamental right of every human being.”
Is now not It is time to allow the interests of the richest corporations and governments to face the universal need to save lives, or to leave this massive and moral task to market forces.
Access to vaccines and treatments as global public goods is in the interest of all humanity. We cannot allow monopolies, crude competition and myopic nationalism to get in the way.
We must heed the warning that “those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” We must learn the painful lessons of a history of unequal access in the treatment of diseases like HIV and Ebola. But we must also remember the innovative victories of health movements, including AIDS activists and advocates who fought for access to affordable medicines for all.
Applying both of them As a set of lessons, we call for a global agreement on Covid-19 vaccines, diagnoses and treatments, implemented under the leadership of the World Health Organization, that:
- Ensures the mandatory worldwide exchange of all Covid-19 related knowledge, data and technologies with a set of Covid-19 licenses available free to all countries.
Countries should be empowered and empowered to make full use of the safeguards and flexibilities agreed in the WTO Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health to protect access to medicines for all.
- It establishes a fair and global rapid manufacturing and distribution plan, which is fully funded by wealthy nations, for the vaccine and all Covid-19 products and technologies that ensures transparent “at real cost prices” and supplies as needed.
Action must begin urgently to massively develop the worldwide capacity to manufacture billions of doses of vaccines and to recruit and train the millions of paid and protected health workers necessary to administer them.
- Guarantees Covid-19 vaccines, diagnoses, tests and treatments are provided free of charge to everyone, everywhere.
Access must be prioritized first for front-line workers, the most vulnerable people and for poor countries with the least capacity to save lives.
In doing so, no one can be left behind. WHO must establish transparent democratic governance, which includes independent experts and civil society partners, which is essential to ensure accountability for this agreement.
In doing so, we also recognize the urgent need to reform and strengthen public health systems around the world, removing all barriers for the rich and poor to access the health care, technologies and medicines they need, in a comprehensive way. free at the time of need.
Only the vaccine of a people, with equality and solidarity at its core, can protect all of humanity and make our societies work safely again.
A bold international agreement cannot wait.
Signed
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo – President of the Republic of Ghana, Imran Khan – Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Cyril Ramaphosa – President of the Republic of South Africa and President of the African Union, Macky Sall – President of the Republic of Senegal, Karen Koning Abuzayd – Commissioner of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry for Syria, Assistant Secretary-General as UNRWA Commissioner General (2005-2010), Maria Elena Agüero – Secretary General, World Leadership Alliance-Club de Madrid, Esko Aho – Prime Minister of Finland (1991–1995) ¹, Dr. Shamshad Akhtar – Former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Rashid Alimov – Secretary-General, Shanghai Cooperation Organization (2016–2019), Minister for Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan (1992–1994) ², Amat Alsoswa – Former Yemen Minister for Human Rights, Former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Assistant Administrator of UNDP and Regional Director / Office of Arab States, Philip Alston – John Norton Pomeroy, Professor of Law, New York University School of Law and former UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Baroness Valerie Amos – United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Aid Coordinator (2010-2015), Rosalia Arteaga Serrano – President of Ecuador (1997) ².Maria Eugenia Brizuela de Avila – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Salvador (1999–2004), Shaukat Aziz – Prime Minister of Pakistan (2004–2007), former Vice President of Citibank², Jan Peter Balkenende – Prime Minister of the Netherlands (2002–2010) ¹, Joyce Banda – President of the Republic of Malawi (2012–2014) and champion for an AIDS-free generation¹, Nelson Barbosa – Professor, FGV and the University of Brasilia, and former Minister of Finance of Brazil, José Manuel Barroso – Prime Minister of Portugal (2002–2004), President of the European Commission (2004–2014) ¹, Carol Bellamy – Former Executive Director, UNICEF (1995–2005), Valdis Birkavs – Prime Minister of Latvia (1993–1994) ¹, Irina Bokova – Director-General of UNESCO (2009–2017), Gordon Brown – Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2007–2010), Winnie Byanyima – UNAIDS Executive Director and UN Under-Secretary-General, Kathy Calvin – Former Executive Director of the United Nations Foundation, Kim campbell – Prime Minister of Canada (1993) ¹, Fernando Henrique Cardoso – President of Brazil (1995–2003) ¹, Gina Casar – Executive Director of AMEXCID, Associate Administrator of UNDP (2014–2015), Hikmet Cetin – Turkish Minister for Foreign Affairs (1991–1994), former President of Parliament, Ha-Joon Chang – Director, Center for Development Studies, University of Cambridge,Judy Cheng-Hopkins – Former Undersecretary General, Support for Peacebuilding, United Nations, Laura Chinchilla – President of Costa Rica (2010–2014) ¹, Joaquim Chissano – President of the Republic of Mozambique (1986–2005) and champion for an AIDS-free generation¹, Helen Clark – Prime Minister of New Zealand (1999–2008), Administrator of UNDP (2009–2017) ¹², Emil Constantinescu – President of Romania (1996–2000) ², Radhika Coomaraswamy – former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Special Representative on Children and Armed Conflict, Cousin ertharin – Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Program (2012–2017), Paula A Cox – Bermuda Premier (2010-2012), Herman De Croo – Minister of State of Belgium; Honorary President of the House², Olivier De Schutter – Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Danny Dorling – Professor of Human Geography at Oxford University, Ruth Dreifuss – President of Switzerland (1999) and Federal Councilor (1993–2002), Diane Elson – Professor Emeritus at the University of Essex, member of the United Nations Committee for Development Policy, Maria Fernanda Espinosa – President of the United Nations General Assembly (2018–2019), Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ecuador (2007–2009, 2017–2018) and Member of the UHC2030 Political Advisory Panel, Moussa Faki – President of the Commission of the African Union, Christiana Figueres – Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC (2010-2016), Vigdís Finnbogadóttir – President of Iceland (1980–1996) ¹, Louise Fréchette – Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations (1998–2006), Sakiko Fukuda-Parr – Director of Julien J. Studley Graduate Programs in International Affairs and Professor of International Affairs at The New School, Patrick Gaspard – Former United States Ambassador to South Africa, President of the Open Society Foundations, Jayati Ghosh – Professor of Economics at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Felipe González – President of the Government of Spain (1982–1996) ¹, Rebeca Grynspan – Vice President of Costa Rica (1994–1998), Ibero-American Secretary General, Alfred Gusenbauer – Chancellor of Austria (2007–2008) ¹, Han Seung-Soo – Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea (2008–2009) ¹, Noeleen Heyzer – Member of the High Level Advisory Board of the United Nations Secretary-General on Medicines², Ivanic Mladen – President of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2014–2018) ², Devaki Jain – Feminist economist, honorary member of St Anne’s College, Oxford and member of the former Southern Commission (1987–90), Arjun Jayadev – Professor of Economics at Azim Premji University, Rob Johnson – President of the Institute for New Economic Thought, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf – President of the Republic of Liberia (2006–2018) ¹, Mehdi Jomaa – Prime Minister of Tunisia (2014–2015) ¹, Anthony T. Jones – Vice President and Executive Director of the Gorbachev Foundation of North America (GFNA) ¹, Ivo Josipovic – President of Croatia (2010–2015) ², Naila Kabeer – Professor of Gender and International Development at the London School of Economics, Michel Kazatchkine – Special Adviser to the Joint United Nations Program on AIDS (UNAIDS) in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and Senior Fellow, Center for Global Health, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva, Rhyme Khalaf – President of the World Organization Against Discrimination and Racial Segregation, and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (2010–2017), Horst Köhler – President of Germany (2004–2010) ¹, Jadranka Kosor – Prime Minister of Croatia (2009–2011) ², Bernard Kouchner – French Minister of Health (1992–1993, 1997–1999, 2001–2002), French Minister of Foreign Affairs (2007–2010); founder of Doctors without Borders / Doctors without Borders (MSF) and Doctors of the World / Doctors of the World (MdM), Chandrika Kumaratunga – President of Sri Lanka (1994–2005) ¹, Aleksander Kwaśniewski – President of Poland (1995–2005)¹², Rachel Kyte CMG – Dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, Luis Alberto Lacalle Herrera – President of Uruguay (1990–1995) ¹, Ricardo Lagos – President of Chile (2000–2006) ¹, Zlatko Lagumdzija – Prime Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2001–2002) ¹², Laura Liswood – Secretary General of the Council of Women World Leaders, Nora Lustig – Emerita President of the Economic Association of Latin America and the Caribbean, Professor of Economics of Latin America, Tulane University, Jessie Rose Mabutas – Member of the Executive Board, African Capacity Building Foundation, Expert Member, Accreditation Panel of the United Nations Adaptation Fund, and Member of the Executive Board, Section on African Public Administration of the American Society of Public Administration, Graça Machel – Founder, The Graça Machel Trust and Foundation for Community Development, Susana Malcorra – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Argentina (2015–2017), Isabel Saint Malo – Vice President of Panama (2014-2019), Purnima Mane – Global expert on gender, HIV and sexual and reproductive health, President of Pathfinder International (2012–2016), Mariana Mazzucato – Professor at University College London and Founding Director of the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP), Mary McAleese – President of Ireland (1997–2011), Rexhep Meidani – President of Albania (1997–2002) ¹², Carlos Mesa – President of Bolivia (2003–2005) ¹, Branko Milanovic – Visiting Presidential Professor at the Graduate Center City University of New York, Aïchatou Mindaoudou – United Nations Special Representative for Côte d’Ivoire and Head of the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (2013–2017), Festus Mogae – President of the Republic of Botswana (1998–2008) and champion for an AIDS-free generation¹, Mario Monti – Prime Minister of Italy (2011–2013) ¹, Kgalema Motlanthe – President of the Republic of South Africa (2008–2009) and champion for an AIDS-free generation, Rovshan Muradov – Secretary General, Nizami Ganjavi International Center, Cristina Narbona – First Vice President of the Spanish Senate and former Minister of the Environment of Spain, Bujar Nishani – President of Albania (2012–2017) ², Dr. John Nkengasong – Director of the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Olusegun Obasanjo – President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999–2007) and champion for an AIDS-free generation¹, Djoomart Otorbayev – Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan (2014–2015) ², Roza Otunbayeva – President of Kyrgyzstan (2010–2011) ¹, Ana Palacio – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain (2002–2004), Dr. David Pan – Executive Dean, Steve Scwarcman College, Tsinghua University China², Flavia Pansieri – Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights (2013-2015), Elsa Papademetriou – former Vice President of the Hellenic Republic (2007–2009) ², Andres Pastrana – President of Colombia (1998–2002) ¹, Muhammad Ali Pate – Global Director, Global Health, Nutrition and Population Practice of the World Bank and Director of Global Fund for Women, Children and AdolescentsKate Pickett – Professor of Epidemiology at York University, Thomas piketty – Professor of Economics at the Paris School of Economics and co-director of the World Inequality Database, Rosen Plevneliev – President of Bulgaria (2012–2017) ², Hifikepunye Pohamba – President of the Republic of Namibia (2005–2015) and Champion of an AIDS-free generation, Karin Sham Pòo – Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF (1987–2004), Achal Prabhala – AccessIBSA project coordinator, Dainius Puras – Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, Iveta Radicova – Prime Minister of Slovakia (2010–2012) ¹, José Manuel Ramos-Horta – President of East Timor (2007–2012) ¹, JVR Prasada Rao – Special Envoy to the United Nations Secretary-General on AIDS (2012–2017) and to the Secretary of Health of the Government of India (2002–2004), Geeta Rao Gupta – Executive Director of the 3D Program for Girls and Women and Senior Member of the United Nations Foundation, Oscar Ribas – Prime Minister of Andorra (1982–84; 1990–94) ¹², Mary Robinson – President of Ireland (1990–1997), United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, President of the Elderly, Dani Rodrik – President-elect of the International Economic Association, Professor of International Political Economy, Harvard University, Petre Roman – Prime Minister of Romania (1989–1991) ¹, Juan Manuel Santos – President of Colombia (2010–2018), 2016 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Member of the International Association for the Elderly and Conservation of Distinguished Arnhold, Kailash Satyarthi – Nobel Peace Prize (2014) and children’s rights activist, Ismail Serageldin – Co-President of the International Center Nizami Ganjavi, Senior Vice President of the World Bank (1992–2000) ², Fatiha Serour – African Group for Justice and Accountability, Michel Sidibé – Minister of Health and Social Affairs of Mali, Mari Simonen – Former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Deputy Executive Director of UNFPA, Pierre somse – Minister of Health and Population of the Republic of Central Africa, Vera Songwe – Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Michael Spence – Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences (2001), William R. Berkley Professor of Economics and Business, NYU, Joseph E Stiglitz – Nobel Prize in economics and university professor at Columbia University, Eka Tkeshelashvili – Deputy Prime Minister of Georgia (2010–2012) ², Aminata Touré – Prime Minister of Senegal (2013–2014) ¹, Danilo Türk – President of Slovenia (2007–2012) ¹, Cassam Uteem – President of Mauritius (1992–2002) ¹, Marianna V. Vardinoyannis – UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador², Ann Veneman – Executive Director of UNICEF (2005–2010), Chema Vera – Executive Director (acting) of Oxfam International, Melanne Verveer – United States Ambassador General for Global Women’s Affairs (2009–2013), Executive Director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security at Georgetown University, Vaira Vike-Freiberga – President of Latvia (1999–2007), Co-President of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, Filip Vujanovic – President of Montenegro (2003–2018) ², Margot Wallström – Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs (2014-2019), Richard Wilkinson – Professor Emeritus of Social Epidemiology, University of Nottingham School of Medicine, Kateryna Yushchenko – First Lady of Ukraine (2005–2010) ², Viktor Yushchenko – President of Ukraine (2005–2010) ², José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero – President of the Government of Spain (2004–2011) ¹, Valdis Zatlers – President of Latvia (2007–2011) ², Ernesto Zedillo – President of Mexico (1994–2000) ¹, Gabriel Zucman – Professor of economics at UC Berkeley
¹ Member of the WLA Club of Madrid
² Member of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC)
This open letter was a joint initiative of Oxfam and UNAIDS
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