 "World Trade Organisation, WTO")
A United States' proposal to discuss waiving patent protections for Covid-19 vaccines will intensify talks on the issue within the World Trade Organisation, the WTO director general said on Friday.
Speaking at an online conference, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said there were arguments for and against a waiver, but she was "sure (the proposal) will give impetus" to negotiations.
I read with interest statement made y'day by USTR Katherine Tai & welcome her willingness to engage with proponents of temporary waiver of TRIPS Agreement to help in combatting COVID19 pandemic: Director-General of World Trade Organization (WTO) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (in file pic) pic.twitter.com/K3ix00riAL
— ANI (@ANI) May 7, 2021
Aside from the patent issue, the WTO chief said there were other aspects that needed to be addressed to improve vaccine supplies, such as reducing export restrictions so that supply chains can work efficiently.
At the event organised by the European University Institute in Florence, Okonjo-Iweala said it was also necessary to increase production capacity in emerging countries, noting that Africa currently imports almost all its vaccines.
She said she hoped WTO members would "come together" to address all these issues to help increase vaccine volumes.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
