Communique of 998th meeting of the the PSC held at the ministerial level on 22 May 2021, on “Access to Vaccines Against COVID-19 by the African Continent: Challenge to Human Security in Africa”
Format
The Peace and Security Council,
Noting the opening remarks made by H.E. Sabri BOUKADOUM, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria and Chairperson of the PSC for May 2021, as well as the statement of the Chairperson of the AU Commission, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, delivered on his behalf by the AU Commissioner for Political Affairs Peace and Security, H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye; the statement of the AU Champion for COVID-19 Response, H.E. President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, of the Republic of South Aafrica read on his behalf by H.E. Naledi Pando, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa; the statement of the AU Chairperson, H.E. President Felix Etienne Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo read on his b
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In one year, the pandemic has halted a quarter-century of steady economic growth in Africa, disrupted value chains, and caused an unprecedented increase in inequality and poverty. As a result, the entire world is at risk, because the global economy could lose one of its future drivers of growth.
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If you re perplexed by the Biden Administration’s waiver of COVID19 vaccine patent protection in the name of accelerating the inoculation of mass population segments of poor countries being ravaged by the disease, you are not alone. Even we veteran trade negotiators are scratching our heads.