Spain promotes agreement to accelerate vaccine distribution | The world and science

By AFP

Published 8/5/2021 4:08 PM

Spanish Foreign Minister, Arancha Gonzalez Laya, said Saturday (8) in Asunción that his country is promoting a major international agreement to accelerate the distribution of vaccines in the five continents.

“We need a big deal to accelerate the distribution of vaccines in the five continents as quickly as possible,” the minister said in the Paraguayan capital during the second leg of a tour in South America that also included Brazil.

Gonzalez Laia, who met with President Mario Abdo Benítez and his Foreign Minister, Euclid Acevedo, noted that the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, had presented to his EU colleagues a mechanism of maximum flexibility in intellectual property rights, even given the discussion. Regarding raising the patent, which was surprisingly initiated this week by US President Joe Biden.

He continued, “We hope that it does not stop there. We also need to locate the production capacity that is not currently used and should be placed in the service of producing the vaccine.”

“We also need a clear commitment from all countries not to impose restrictions on the trade in vaccines and the inputs that help in manufacturing vaccines,” the chancellor said.

Gonzalez Laia announced that Spain will soon provide 7.5 million vaccines to Latin American countries in donation.

He pointed out that “there are 7,500,000 vaccines that Spain will share with Latin America because we are convinced that no one will be safe until we are all safe.”

“These are difficult times when you discover your true friends, and Spain is very friendly with Paraguay,” said the Spanish Chancellor, announcing the arrival of a shipment of medical supplies to the South American country to strengthen the intensive care units in the fight against Covid -19.