04/02/2021 - COVID-19 has had a devastating social and economic impact everywhere, but particularly in developing countries. The absence of a comprehensive global strategy to ensure vaccine access in low and middle-income countries threatens to prolong the pandemic, escalating inequalities within and between countries and delaying the global economic recovery.
OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría will discuss how to ensure fair access to vaccines and build resilience in developing countries – two big tests for global solidarity – with World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, political leaders, heads of development agencies and civil society organisations at a virtual debate from 12:00 to 14:00 CET on Monday 8 February. The event will be webcast live. Journalists can also register as participants and can feed questions into the discussion using the Zoom Q&A function or via social media.
Evidence and recommendations from two OECD reports will feed the debate. The December 2020 edition of the OECD’s annual Development Co-operation Report looks at the implications of the COVID-19 crisis on international development for 2021 and beyond. A new report published today, An Equal Shot at Recovery: COVID-19 Vaccines for Developing Countries, examines the case for multilateral approaches to vaccine access, maps bottlenecks in developing countries, and identifies priority actions for policy makers.
Speakers include:
Further information on the event. Journalists can also contact the OECD Media Office (+33 1 45 24 97 00) with questions.
Working with over 100 countries, the OECD is a global policy forum that promotes policies to improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world.
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