Excellencies, distinguished guests, dear colleagues and friends,
Good morning, good afternoon and good evening, and thank you for joining us for this very important event.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a bright light on the inequalities of our world.
The defining mark of the pandemic is the lack of sharing – sharing of data, sharing of information; of personal protective equipment; and of vaccines and other life-saving tools.
This inequity is fuelling a two-track pandemic, where a few countries have reached high levels of vaccine coverage, while others have not even started vaccinating the most vulnerable and at-risk populations.
With know-how, data and technologies in the hands of a few, the world has not been able to deliver effective health tools to everyone in need.
This is the result of a fragile global supply system that simply cannot satisfy global demand.
This pandemic has shown that relying on a few companies to supply global public goods is limiting, and risky.
But the problem of access to vaccines, medicines and other health tools is much older than COVID-19.
It was there before the pandemic, and it will still be there after the pandemics, unless we do something about it today.
That’s why this World Local Production Forum could not be more timely. Its aim is to strengthen production capacity where it exists, and to build it where it is lacking.
Ramping up global manufacturing of health tools will require long-term commitment from all stakeholders.
It will require an all-of-government approach and collaboration between countries, companies, financial institutions and the industrial development sectors.
It will also require political will and a change in mindset.
Just a few weeks ago, the World Health Assembly adopted a landmark resolution on strengthening local production of medicines and other health technologies to improve access.
Over 100 countries co-sponsored the resolution, clearly signalling Member States’ commitment to changing the paradigm and distributing production capacity more equitably.
WHO is fully committed to supporting Member States in implementing the resolution, but I want to stress the urgent need for swift and effective action.
This Forum is a key step in that direction.
It will highlight issues affecting the production and supply of priority health products.
And I hope it will help to redefine our work to strengthen local production.
This will be a regular event, where countries and partners can come together to collaborate, engage on challenges and solutions, learn from each other, and leverage opportunities.
Enhancing local production will be essential for building more secure supply chains in the future, and improving sustainable access to quality and affordable health products.
Together, we can end this pandemic and build a safer, more balanced global system for the future. If not now, then when?
I thank you.