Pretoria (AFP)
Emmanuel Macron finally agreed on Friday to request a temporary lifting of the patents of anti-Covid vaccines, if this is necessary to allow transfers of production technology in poor countries, a position applauded by Africa from South.
On a visit to Pretoria, the French president recalled during a press briefing that his objective was to set up rapid technology transfers to install vaccine production capacities in Africa as quickly as possible.
He was also to announce in the afternoon investment agreements, in particular with the South African laboratory Aspen.
But he also recognized that "patents should not be a barrier".
As a first solution, he wanted "exemptions" on patents, on the model of those decided for anti-AIDS treatments (allowing countries in crisis to manufacture cheaper generic drugs, editor's note).
But "we are not able to put in place these exemptions" at the WTO (World Trade Organization) for Covid, he admitted.
“I am pragmatic,” he continued, “if it becomes clear that this cannot work, President Ramaphosa is proposing something that can be done in parallel, and I will support him, it is a waiver. , that is to say a lifting of intellectual property rules on all Covid vaccines during the crisis ".
"Under no circumstances can intellectual property stand in the way of technology transfer," he said.
"We have also decided together to bring a common initiative on this subject to the G7" in June, announced the French president.
This rallying to the “waiver” demanded by India and South Africa constitutes an evolution of the French position on the patents of Covid vaccines.
Again Thursday, before an economic forum organized by the magazine Challenges, Emmanuel Macron defended the solution of exemptions on anti-AIDS triple therapy models, by "continuing to have the right remuneration for innovation".
This position "is music for my ears," said the South African president on Friday.
"I like the convergence of our thoughts," he added.
"But the establishment of production capacities, and not just the issue of patents, could allow technology transfers", he qualified, wishing to carry out the two subjects in parallel, the construction of production capacities, for which "we welcome any help", and the discussions on patents before the WTO.
"We want to convince more and more countries of the correctness of our position", he said, the production of its own vaccines "will be a game-changer for Africa" he concluded.
The two presidents recalled that Africa represents 20% of needs, but only 1% of production and 2% of people vaccinated.
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