"It is shocking to see the disparity between one nation and another with regard to the availability of vaccines, as these differences allow, in some cases, a third dose to be administered, while in other countries, such as in Africa, the large most are not even vaccinated with the first dose," said the head of state during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly, taking place this week at the organization's headquarters in New York.
"The global conviction that there is a real possibility of returning to normal life is increasingly accentuated by the emergence of vaccines that the scientific community has developed with admirable and commendable speed, and whose main purpose is the preservation of the species human being, threatened by the covid-19 pandemic," added João Lourenço, before defending the withdrawal of intellectual protection rights on vaccines.
"It is urgent to establish that solidarity and simplification of processes in access to vaccines is the only way capable of leading the world to victory in the fight against the pandemic", he said, defending: "That decisions favorable to the United Nations be discussed and approved. liberalization of vaccines, so that it is possible for them to be produced by an increasing number of countries".
The vaccine, he continued, "must be recognized as a good of humanity, universally accessible and open to allow for greater equitable production and distribution on a world scale."
In addition to vaccines, João Lourenço also criticized the frequent coups d'état in Africa, exemplifying with Mali and Guinea-Conakry, to defend a more muscular intervention by the international community, which "must act and not just stand by the declarations , forcing the actors to return power" to the elected.
"We cannot allow recent examples, such as in Guinea-Conakry, to prosper in Africa and other continents. The United Nations should demand the immediate release of Professor Alpha Condé [president deposed in a coup d'état in Guinea-Conakry]", concluded João Lourenço .
