#COVID-19: WTO Is Indispensable To Vaccine Accessibility And Global Recovery, Says Okonjo-Iweala

#COVID-19: WTO Is Indispensable To Vaccine Accessibility And Global Recovery, Says Okonjo-Iweala–—Our very own finalist for the position of Director General in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) NgoziOkonjo-Iweala says the WTO can play a vital role in accessibility of coronavirus vaccine.

The one time Minister of Finance as well as former World Bank Managing Director spoke at a reception held in her honour by the Nigerian Permanent Mission to the United Nations (UN) in a bid to appeal for global support for her candidacy as it enters the election phase.

“When vaccines and therapeutic medicine are produced, the WTO should be able to facilitate accessibility and equitable distribution to all member nations. Trade has to be a strong recovery out of the global recession; that makes a multilateral trading system part of the solution,” she said.

Her experience with the body is an added advantage that would come in handy as countries seek to produce vaccines, the chair of Board of Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) said.

The aspirant also added that “There is need for WTO to collaborate with finance agencies to address these issues otherwise it remains an impediment to multilateral trading system. If elected as director-general, you have an ally, who is interested in addressing these challenges”