“Our global tests and challenges are getting bigger and more complex. Yet our responses remain fragmented and insufficient”, Secretary-General António Guterres said via videoconference. 

“2021 must be the year to get back on track. Pandemic recovery is our chance”. 

Global Vaccination Plan 

The UN chief stressed the need for available and affordable inoculations for everyone, everywhere. 

“Vaccine equity is crucial for saving lives and for saving economies”, he said. “Countries need to share excess doses and provide the billions needed for the COVAX initiative to be in full swing”. 

The UN-led vaccine initiative, COVAX, is part of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator to equitably provide coronavirus diagnostics, treatments and vaccines to all people globally, regardless of their wealth.  

“We also need at least a doubling of global manufacturing capacity, through sharing of licenses and technology transfer”, he continued, pointing to the G20 richest nations as being