Pope Francis has extended support for waiving intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines ahead of the 12th World Trade Organisation (WTO) ministerial conference, and called on the UN body to adopt measures to ensure that everyone has access to the virus vaccines.
As the Covid-19 pandemic has devastating effects around the globe, health experts have called for the use of Covid-19 vaccines to be a universal common good.
Furthermore, hundreds of civil society organizations around the world have called for the TRIPS waiver to be supported, a measure that would expand access to lifesaving vaccines and other health products.
A temporary waiver of certain intellectual property rules under the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement) has been opposed by the EU at the WTO.
Pope Francis said in a tweet, “I join the Pan-American and Pan-African Committees of Judges for Social Rights in calling on the WTO to adopt measures to ensure accessible Covid-19 vaccines for all, especially for the people of Africa.”
“Equitable access to safe and effective vaccines is fundamental to saving lives and livelihoods. Africa cannot be left behind. No one is safe until everyone is safe,” he said.
WTO negotiators in Geneva finalized two draft texts on the pandemic response, including the intellectual property response, ahead of the WTO meeting on June 12.
Those two texts will now be sent to trade ministers attending the 12th Ministerial Conference of the organization for review and possible approval.
As the upcoming WTO ministerial begins on June 12, India is hoping for a positive outcome regarding the TRIPS waiver. The conference will be attended by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goel.
India and South Africa submitted a proposal to the WTO TRIPS Council in October 2020 asking for a waiver from certain provisions of the TRIPS Agreement for the prevention, treatment, and containment of COVID-19.
It is proposed to temporarily waive certain provisions of the TRIPS Agreement to the extent that they impede access to the COVID-19 products and technologies.