WTO conference delay over Omicron a blow to global vaccine planning
However, delegations continue negotiations on IP waiver proposal by India and SA
29 November 2021 - 16:45
by Philip Blenkinsop
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New WTO director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Picture: REUTERS/JOSHUA ROBERTS
Brussels — The postponement of the World Trade Organization's ministerial conference this week all but guarantees months of deadlock on fishing subsidies and a bid to spread Covid-19 vaccines more widely.
Expectations of breakthroughs were already muted ahead of the gathering, which was postponed late on Friday after new Swiss travel restrictions due to the Omicron variant meant many planned face-to-face meetings could not happen.
No new date has been set.
Dmitry Grozoubinski, executive director of the Geneva Trade Platform think-tank, said ministerial meetings were key to any agreements because they put together political decision-makers and created deadlines.
“It's a significant blow. The gaps on issues such as fisheries and IP parts of Covid-19 are political gaps. It's not a fatal blow though as they do plan to reconvene,” he said.
WTO director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said negotiations should not stop and that delegations in Geneva should seek to close as many gaps as possible.
“This new variant reminds us once again of the urgency of the work we are charged with,” she said.
Delegations did set to work on Monday to debate a proposal by India and SA to waive intellectual property (IP) rights for Covid-19 vaccines and treatments and an EU counterproposal to use flexibilities in existing WTO rules.
Medecins Sans Frontieres said that the world could not waste more time, with millions of lives at stake.
Barry Schoub, chair of the ministerial advisory committee on vaccines, talks to a Bloomberg panel about the Covid-19 variant Omicron.
“We call on countries opposing and diluting this waiver to today halt the stalling tactics and take urgent measures to adopt a comprehensive waiver,” it said.
The Omicron discovery supports one of the arguments of waiver proponents that failing to supply vaccines to the globe increases the risk of potentially dangerous new variants of the coronavirus emerging.
US President Joe Biden reiterated his belief in a waiver of IP protections for vaccines, saying the news of the new variant raised the importance of moving quickly.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
WTO conference delay over Omicron a blow to global vaccine planning
However, delegations continue negotiations on IP waiver proposal by India and SA
Brussels — The postponement of the World Trade Organization's ministerial conference this week all but guarantees months of deadlock on fishing subsidies and a bid to spread Covid-19 vaccines more widely.
Expectations of breakthroughs were already muted ahead of the gathering, which was postponed late on Friday after new Swiss travel restrictions due to the Omicron variant meant many planned face-to-face meetings could not happen.
No new date has been set.
Dmitry Grozoubinski, executive director of the Geneva Trade Platform think-tank, said ministerial meetings were key to any agreements because they put together political decision-makers and created deadlines.
“It's a significant blow. The gaps on issues such as fisheries and IP parts of Covid-19 are political gaps. It's not a fatal blow though as they do plan to reconvene,” he said.
WTO director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said negotiations should not stop and that delegations in Geneva should seek to close as many gaps as possible.
“This new variant reminds us once again of the urgency of the work we are charged with,” she said.
Delegations did set to work on Monday to debate a proposal by India and SA to waive intellectual property (IP) rights for Covid-19 vaccines and treatments and an EU counterproposal to use flexibilities in existing WTO rules.
Medecins Sans Frontieres said that the world could not waste more time, with millions of lives at stake.
Barry Schoub, chair of the ministerial advisory committee on vaccines, talks to a Bloomberg panel about the Covid-19 variant Omicron.
“We call on countries opposing and diluting this waiver to today halt the stalling tactics and take urgent measures to adopt a comprehensive waiver,” it said.
The Omicron discovery supports one of the arguments of waiver proponents that failing to supply vaccines to the globe increases the risk of potentially dangerous new variants of the coronavirus emerging.
US President Joe Biden reiterated his belief in a waiver of IP protections for vaccines, saying the news of the new variant raised the importance of moving quickly.
Reuters
Top SA scientist warns Omicron may be easier to spread
Calm returns to global markets after Omicron sell-off
BioNTech working to adapt its Covid-19 vaccine for Omicron variant
WHO warns that Omicron poses ‘very high’ global risk
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