Kuwait calls for global cooperation for fair vaccine distribution

Kuwait has called for international cooperation to ensure a fair distribution of vaccines against the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) to all nations. State of Kuwait Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi, pledged to continue and intensify efforts, in coordination with partners, to contribute to the international response to this pandemic.

There is no one who is safe from this virus and this discussion is being held two years after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is the greatest international threat since World War II, said UN Ambassador Otaibi, speaking at a high-level session on ways to boost comprehensive immunization against the virus worldwide.

The pandemic has killed more than six million people, infected more than 400 million people inflicting horrendous damage, and caused massive economic, social, and political repercussions. It has spread widely, claiming many lives and mutating into clusters such as Delta and Omicron, renewing hazards and increasing pressure on health systems in many states, the Kuwaiti envoy said.

The development of vaccines brought renewed hope for stemming its spread. Yet, the process of distributing the vaccines to the states was unjust, which widened the gap between advanced and developing countries amid projections of poverty expansion and long-term pandemic effects.

In response to the pandemic, Ambassador Al-Otaibi called for coordinated efforts to ensure a just distribution of vaccines and enable global immunization. Providing aid at this level to developing nations is a humanitarian and ethical responsibility for the international community. 85 percent of Kuwait’s population has been vaccinated, he said, and interest in booster shots is growing. A vaccination campaign will also be launched in Kuwait for children aged five to 11.

Kuwait has generously contributed to international agencies tasked with combating the pandemic. In addition, he reaffirmed the need to cooperate with all countries in combating communicable diseases and reaching the WHO’s goal of vaccinating 70 percent of people by mid-2022.