The Covid-19 vaccine IP waiver is back at the WTO, with a new deadline. Can it muster enough support?
World Trade Organization director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala called on members late last week to move swiftly and forge at least a draft agreement on the divisive IP waiver for Covid-19 vaccines by the end of February.
Those advocating for such a waiver, including countries like the US, India and South Africa and other aid groups like Doctors Without Borders, have called to help more countries manufacture their own vaccines more quickly, a task that has lost significant time due to these long negotiations. Some like MSF argue that the waiver shouldn’t just include vaccines but should provide a “critical legal pathway for countries to facilitate more diversified and sustainable production and supply” of all Covid-related tools, including tests and therapeutics too.
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