News24.com | Ramaphosa supports call for rich countries to donate 5% of their vaccines to ‘needy nations’
President Cyril Ramaphosa.
- President Cyril Ramaphosa supports the call for rich countries to donate 5% of their vaccines to poorer countries.
- He was speaking at the virtual launch of the ‘Recover Better Together’ post Covid-19 campaign.
- The campaign seeks to create momentum for global Covid-19 pandemic recovery and a return to the implementation of global goals.
President Cyril Ramaphosa says he supports the call for rich countries to donate 5% of their vaccines to needy countries.
“I applaud and support what President [Emmanuel] Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen indeed have called for – that rich countries should donate 5% of their vaccines to needy countries, particularly on our continent – Africa,” he said at the virtual launch of the “Recover Better Together” post Covid-19 Campaign on Tuesday evening.
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The campaign – organised by Global Citizen in partnership with the European Commission and the World Health Organisation (WHO) – seeks to create momentum for global Covid-19 pandemic recovery and a return to the implementation of global goals.
The Presidency – in a statement on Tuesday – stated that the initiative brought together governments, world leaders, philanthropists, corporates, and civil society around a Five Point Recovery Plan which seeks to achieve the following:
1. End the pandemic: Ensuring equitable access to Covid-19 tests, vaccines, treatments, diagnostics and therapeutics for everyone, everywhere.
2. Stop the hunger crisis: Ensuring nutrition security and strengthening food system resilience for all.
3. Get children back in school: Ensuring a #ReturnToLearn model that bridges the digital divide and ensures all children are safe and receive quality and inclusive education.
4. Cool the planet: Protecting the earth’s resources to promote the well-being of people and the planet.
5. Protect the most marginalised: Ensuring a fair, just and inclusive recovery that leaves no one behind.
Ramaphosa, in his address, said that the campaign launch recognised that overcoming the Covid-19 pandemic “is essential if we are to make any progress in tackling poverty”.
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“To fight the pandemic, 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,” he said.
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Ramaphosa added that countries should work together to end hunger, promote education and the resumption of learning and to protect our planet.
“In doing so, we will be contributing to a fair and just and inclusive recovery.
“The world will recover, that is for sure, but we want it to recover better and to recover for the benefit of all, leaving no one behind.”