Ramaphosa and other world leaders have signed an open letter about a coronavirus vaccine – here’s what it said
Eight world leaders, including South African president Cyril Ramaphosa and Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, have issued a call for ‘global solidarity’ for fairness in distributing any Covid-19 vaccine that may be developed.
In a letter published in the Washington Post, the group said that the supplies of a vaccine should be shared fairly among all nations and people of all income levels.
“Vaccines are the most powerful public health tool and are critical for saving lives. Thanks to vaccines, we have seen good progress in reducing child mortality in recent decades,” the leaders said.
“At this point in time, with almost 200 potential Covid-19 vaccine candidates currently at different stages of development, there is hope that soon one or more will prove to be both safe and effective.
“What happens next is equally important. This cannot be a race with one winner. When one or more vaccines are successful, it must be a win for all of us.
“We cannot allow access to vaccines to increase inequalities within or between countries — whether low-, middle- or high-income.”
The international community must commit to equitable access to a COVID-19 vaccine. Writing together with @JustinTrudeau, @SahleWorkZewde, @moonriver365, @jacindaardern, @CyrilRamaphosa, @sanchezcastejon & @ElyesFakhfakh @washingtonpost https://t.co/756yZtTqEW
— SwedishPM (@SwedishPM) July 15, 2020
The leaders said that vaccines should also be distributed according to a set of transparent, equitable and scientifically sound principles.
“Where you live should not determine whether you live, and global solidarity is central to saving lives and protecting the economy.”
“A managed flow of the vaccine —including for humanitarian settings and other vulnerable countries such as the least developed countries and small island developing states — is the wise and strategic course of action and will benefit countries across the world.”
The full list of signatories include:
- Justin Trudeau, prime minister of Canada;
- Sahle-Work Zewde, president of Ethiopia;
- Moon Jae-in, president of the Republic of Korea;
- Jacinda Ardern, prime minister of New Zealand;
- Cyril Ramaphosa, president of South Africa (also chairperson of the African Union);
- Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, prime minister of Spain;
- Stefan Lofven, prime minister of Sweden;
- Elyes Fakhfakh, prime minister of the Republic of Tunisia.
You can read the full letter here.
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