Under the banner of A Shot for All, on the margins of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, prominent leaders and personalities stressed the importance of vaccine equity and how to achieve universal access, particularly in developing countries and marginalized communities in Africa.

For the UN agency, the goal is not a luxury, but an urgent global development priority. 

Development priority for all

"Delaying vaccines in low-income countries and regions like Africa cannot be the way forward. The stakes are simply too high. Ending vaccine inequality must be seen as a global public good and development priority for all," said Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator.

The event, moderated by Al Jazeera English anchor, Folly Bah Thibault, represented a call to action to governments and development partners to reconsider the production, supply, distribution, and financing of vaccines and how to redress the impact of the current crisis.

Speakers joined the global call to expedite and prioritize vaccine equity. For them, it’s not just a way to end the pandemic, but also a way to boost the economic and social opportunities that will help developing countries, particularly in Africa, to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Multilateralism and solutions

Among the speakers, were  the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,  Felix Antoine Tshisekedi, the Prime Minister of Sweden, Stefan Löfven, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and the Director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, John Nkengasong. 

They agreed that multilateralism is central to ending the pandemic, and they outlined solutions to ensuring no one is left behind. Among the proposals, were increased manufacturing of vaccines, unblocking bottle necks in the supply chain, and investing in homegrown innovations and capacities. 

Speaking at the event, UNDP Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa, Ahunna Eziakonwa, said “a two-track recovery is no recovery, the world is calling for greater justice.”

“We cannot beat the pandemic if half of the world is experiencing vaccine famine. Delaying vaccines is denying development. We will continue to do our utmost to give each African a shot at life and allow every African country to build forward smarter, stronger and more sustainably,” she added. 

Award-winning Nigerian singer Patoranking and Kenyan percussionist and activist Kasiva Mutua performed at the event, highlighting the impact of the pandemic on artists and their ability to inspire action. 

Other participants included Edem Adzogenu from Afro Champions, Yvonne Mburu, CEO Nexakili and member of France’s Presidential Council for Africa, Admassu Tadesse, President and CEO of Trade Development Bank, and Kwabena Ayirebi, Director of Banking Operations for the Africa Export-Import Bank.