In an interview with AFP during a visit to Moscow, Francesco Rocca, president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), was also concerned about the politicization migration issues and the plight of Afghan civilians as winter approaches.

Asked about the overall approach to be adopted with regard to immunization, the director of one of the largest humanitarian networks in the world indicated that efforts should be made to address the inequality between populations in this area.

"Scientists have repeatedly warned the international community of the risks of very new variants in places where the vaccination rate is very low," said Francesco Rocca.

According to UN statistics, around 65% of people in more developed countries have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, compared to just 7% in less developed countries.

Western countries have been accused of stockpiling vaccines and the WHO has urged them not to rush to do third doses when millions of people around the world have yet to receive the first.

- Migrants, a "weapon" -

"It is a selfish approach on the part of the Western community and a truly blind approach," criticized Francesco Rocca, a former Italian lawyer and long-time Red Cross volunteer, elected head of the IFRC in 2017.

"It's amazing that we still don't realize how interconnected we are. That's why I call the Omicron variant the ultimate proof" of inequalities in immunization, he continued.

Progress of vaccination campaigns Valentin RAKOVSKY AFP

Omicron, a highly mutated version of the coronavirus, was first reported in South Africa on November 24 and is now present in several dozen countries.

This variant triggered a new wave of travel restrictions and called into question the global economic recovery.

It could be the cause of more than half of the cases of Covid-19 in Europe in the coming months.

"It is essential and vital to identify new solutions, to find an end to the pandemic, and the only way is vaccination, therefore access for all and everywhere," said Mr. Rocca.

After a trip last month to Belarus, where thousands of migrants trying to enter the EU remained stranded at the Polish border, Rocca said he was worried about the political use of those fleeing their country .

"Of course, this is nothing new, but now it is surely more obvious that they are used as a political tool, a weapon", said Mr Rocca.

- Afghan "tragedy" -

Western governments should do more "not only in terms of receiving or not receiving" migrants, but also to address the reasons that push them to leave their countries, Rocca said.

"Those with more power have the responsibility of resolving crises (...) and not just allocating some resources every now and then without a political strategy," he said.

Mr. Rocca recalled that NGOs like the Red Cross are very worried about a "potential humanitarian tragedy" in Afghanistan, with winter approaching.

"We are talking about children, the elderly. This is not politics, it is about the lives of millions of people," he said.

The United Nations has warned that around 22 million Afghans will face food shortages in the winter months, as the country faces an economic crisis made worse by the Taliban seizure of power in August.

While Mr. Rocca admitted that it was not for the Red Cross to discuss the merits of sanctions against the Taliban, he insisted that they should not "punish civilians".

"We are dealing with human beings, and the lack of political dialogue makes their life even more unbearable," he said.

© 2021 AFP