Excellencies, dear colleagues and friends,
When the history of the COVID-19 pandemic is written, I believe that the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator will be recorded as one of its standout successes.
Since the earliest days of the pandemic, WHO has supported countries with evidence-based tools to stop transmission and save lives.
But we also realised that we would need new tools to truly bring the pandemic under control, and that those tools must be accessible to all countries equitably.
That’s why WHO proposed the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator, a unique mechanism with two aims: to develop vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics fast, and to allocate them fairly.
We thank France, Germany, South Africa and the European Commission for their leadership in creating the political platform for the ACT Accelerator to succeed.
And we welcome the development of the ACT Accelerator Charter, which outlines the core principles of equity and fair allocation underlying this landmark effort.
The world has come together as never before to ensure vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics are developed, produced and allocated fairly as global public goods, not private commodities.
This is a powerful statement of international solidarity. In the same way, WHO was also proud to join Costa Rica in May to launch the COVID-19 Technology Access Pool, C-TAP.
We also welcome India and South Africa’s submission to the World Trade Organization to waive certain provisions of the TRIPS Agreement during the pandemic.
As global public goods, COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics must be available on the basis of equitable and affordable access for all, especially for health workers, the elderly and other at-risk groups.
This is not just a moral imperative and a public health imperative, it’s also an economic imperative.
In our interconnected world, if people in low- and middle-income countries miss out on vaccines, the virus will continue to spread and the economic recovery globally will be delayed.
Equitable access is in the national interest of each and every country.
Vaccine nationalism will prolong the pandemic, not shorten it.
Making vaccines work requires a broad collaboration, not just across sectors, but across partners. No country can address these challenges alone.
Efforts like the ACT Accelerator and C-TAP show that when countries and partners work together and engage through multilateral platforms, they are stronger.
The vaccines pillar of the ACT Accelerator, COVAX, is a perfect example, bringing together Gavi, CEPI, the Global Fund and WHO to support the development of the world’s largest portfolio of vaccine candidates.
Already, 186 countries and economies will benefit from the COVAX facility, including 92 lower-income countries and economies who are eligible for assistance through advanced market commitments.
Some countries are buying more vaccines in advance in quantities more than double their population size, putting at risk the access and affordability of vaccines for other countries.
To fully realise the potential of the ACT Accelerator, it must be fully funded. The financing gap for the ACT Accelerator currently stands at 28.5 billion U.S. dollars, with 4.5 billion dollars needed urgently to maintain momentum.
Fully financing the ACT Accelerator will help to control the pandemic, restore confidence and stimulate the global recovery.
This is a moment for saying no to nationalism and yes to our shared humanity.
I thank you.