LOCKDOWN RAMAPHOSA SONA 2022

President Cyril Ramaphosa preparing his SONA 2021 speech. [Photo: GCIS]

Global Citizen: Ramaphosa calls on rich countries to donate vaccines to Africa

“We continue to call on world leaders to support the COVAX facility to ensure rapid and equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines for all countries”.

LOCKDOWN RAMAPHOSA SONA 2022

President Cyril Ramaphosa preparing his SONA 2021 speech. [Photo: GCIS]

President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered a virtual address at the World Health Organisation’s Global Citizen Recovering Better Together Campaign. The virtual event is hosted from Geneva, Switzerland.

The initiative brings together governments, world leaders, businesses and civil society working together to end the COVID-19 pandemic, stop world hunger and ensure quality and inclusive education.

In addition, the campaign seeks to create momentum for global COVID-19 pandemic recovery and a return to the implementation of global goals.

President Ramaphosa at Global Citizen

COVID-19 vaccines for all

The President commended Global Citizen’s swift response during the pandemic “by hosting the One World Together At Home benefit concert in support of healthcare workers on the frontline”.

“Overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic is essential if we are to make any progress in tackling poverty. To achieve this, we must deepen cooperation to ensure equitable access to vaccines”.

He added that “no person, no country and no region must be left behind”. In order to fight the pandemic, Ramaphosa said “we need to pool all our resources, our capabilities, our knowledge and intellectual property”.

“That is why we continue to call on world leaders to support the COVAX facility to ensure rapid and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for all countries”.

Rich countries to donate vaccines

He then called on world leaders to “support the COVAX facility to ensure rapid and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for all countries”, and applauded those who have stepped up already:

“And in this regard, I applaud and support what President Macron and president Ursula von der Leyen have called for […] that rich countries must donate 5% of their vaccines to needy countries, particularly on our continent – Africa”.

He added that “another important step is to enable the transfer of medical technology for the duration of the pandemic”. He explained that it would allow countries to increase the production of COVID-19 vaccines, improve distribution and lower prices.

A united world

He said it is vital for the nations of the world “work together to end hunger, promote education and protect the planet”.

“Alongside these efforts to overcome the pandemic, we must work together to end hunger, promote education and the resumption of learning, and protect the planet. By doing so, we will be contributing to a fair, just and inclusive recovery. The world will recover, it will recover better, and it will recover together. For the benefit of all leaving no one behind”.

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Watch the Global Citizen – Recover Better Together Campaign launch