New York (UNA-OIC) – Ensuring COVID-19 vaccines for all will be critical if the world is to defeat the pandemic, President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Munir Akram said on Friday in his address to the closing ECOSOC High-level Segment.
Reflecting on the past year, Akram recalled how the Council responded to the crisis, and climate and development challenges, including through drawing attention to the special needs of the world’s least developed nations.
He urged countries to build on convergence and consensus achieved to confront major tasks ahead, starting with ensuring everyone, everywhere, is protected against the virus.
“Universal and affordable access to COVID-19 vaccines is essential to defeat the virus and to revive global trade, investment and growth. We have agreed on what needs to be done. We must now do it,” he said.
The meeting was held one day after the conclusion of the ECOSOC annual High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) to review progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Developing countries will need $4.3 trillion to recover from the triple crises and to realize the 17 goals by 2030, according to UN News.
