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CARICOM is calling on the World Health Organization (WHO) to hold a global summit to discuss the ability of countries to access covid19 vaccines.
In a communique issued on Friday, after the end of the 32nd inter-sessional meeting of Caricom heads of government on Thursday, Caricom said this summit must "address urgently equitable access to covid19 vaccines, particularly for developing countries, which should be held in the context of the World Health Organization’s ACT-A Facilitation Council."
Caricom reiterated that it is "dissatisfied and deeply concerned about the inequitable access to vaccines for small developing states like those of the community." It said, "As the virus does not discriminate, access to vaccines should not be discriminatory, with a few countries dominating the market with their resources and their volumes."
Caricom also said its leaders have observed that to date, even countries with the funds to buy vaccines have been unable to procure and receive them through commercial arrangements, given the relatively small volumes they seek.
While its member states have signed on to the Covax facility, Caricom said, "The only vaccines received in the region to date were through the generosity of the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, who has donated 170,000 vaccines to Barbados and Dominica through bilateral arrangements."
While the Covax facility is expected to provide up to 20 per cent of Caricom member states’ needs, Caricom said, "This limited supply will not allow us to attain the regional herd immunity, so necessary to fuel the resilient recovery that we are seeking."
Its leaders want a mechanism that allows smaller countries "to have access to sufficient vaccines at the earliest juncture, if action is to be put behind the oft-repeated phrase that 'no-one is safe until everyone is safe'
On Thursday, Caricom chairman Dr Keith Rowley said the pandemic has served as a catalyst for Caricom to move ahead with certain initiatives such as the Caricom Development Fund (CDF). Caricom and its leaders believe the CDF should be positioned to provide support to its member states’ post-pandemic recovery efforts. Leaders agreed at the meeting to a further one-year extension to the CDF’s second contribution and subvention cycle to June 30, 2022.
Caricom also said its leaders directed that efforts to mobilise funds from international development partners and other agencies to help replenishthe capital fund of the CDF should continue.
They also continued discussions on a joint tourism policy for Caricom.There was agreement on an emergency tourism plan with "a subsequent more detailed policy and strategy being developed by the third quarter of 2021."
There was also agreement among the leaders for the development of a tourism reserve fund which could be financed by a levy contributed by a coalition of willing member states.
Guyana President Dr Irfaan Ali, who has responsibility for agriculture in Caricom's quasit-Cabinet, was praised for strategies outlined in a paper he submitted on ensuring regional food security during the pandemic.
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