Covid-19: France will double the number of its vaccine doses to poor countries
The unloading of a shipment of Covid-19 vaccines at Abidjan airport in February 2021 (illustrative image).
AFP - SIA KAMBOU
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
France will give 120 million doses of vaccine, announced President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday evening, while the Covax device supposed to ensure the distribution of these donations to low-income countries declares not to have enough today to hold her goals.
Advertising
Read more
Vaccination against Covid-19 around the world is inequitable.
Over 6 billion doses have been administered, but only 2% of people in low-income countries have received them.
New example, the Covax mechanism, which must ensure sharing and distribution to these countries, will ship 150 million doses less than expected to Africa.
As a result, 470 million doses of vaccine expected on the continent will only allow 17% of the population to be vaccinated,
far from the target
of 40% by the end of the year.
The risks of a two-tier vaccination
The risks of this two-speed vaccination are known for populations which are therefore not protected, but also the possible emergence of variants in regions where the virus circulates the most.
Hence these commitments by leaders of rich countries to give more.
France is now announcing 120 million doses, double what it previously expected.
“
The injustice is that in other continents, obviously, vaccination is very late.
Because of us, collectively.
In Africa, barely 3% of the population is vaccinated.
We must go faster, stronger,
”said Emmanuel Macron in a video sequence broadcast during the concert in Paris of the charity Global Citizen.
One hundred and twenty million doses, it is certainly more than those administered in the country, but it is very far from the billion promised last Wednesday by Joe Biden and the United States.
However, with one precision: these donations are staggered over time, so they will not be found immediately on the ground.
Unlike the Chinese commitment, which announces two billion doses of vaccine that will be distributed by the end of the year.
A part however will not be offered, but sold by Beijing.
The European Union, with which the United States intends to cooperate closely, will distribute more than 500 million doses.
Macron's commitments to Africa
The French President also announced "
concrete commitments
" to help Unicef organize vaccination campaigns in African countries "
and put us in a position to help healthcare systems
".
Emmanuel Macron has also committed to redirecting 20% to the benefit of a revival of African economies from the special drawing rights that it receives from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
According to him "
if all the great powers do like France, then we will reach 100 billion towards Africa
".
Finally, he pledged that Paris would support "
up to 333 million euros
" programs in favor of education in Africa.
►
To read also: Covax system: "There is an opacity that reigns from the start on the agreements made" [International guest]
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
France
Coronavirus
Vaccines
Humanitarian