Hanoi (VNA) – COVID-19 vaccines should beconsidered a shared asset of the international community, and delivered tocountries at affordable prices, prioritising vulnerable groups and frontlineworkers in the pandemic combat, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister PhamBinh Minh said on February 17.

The official made the statement during an opendebate of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on ensuring equitableaccess to COVID-19 vaccines in contexts affected by conflicts and insecurity,which was held virtually.

Minh called on the international community toeffectively implement a strategy on pandemic response and vaccination, sayingthe COVAX mechanism needs more support from countries so that vaccines can be allottedto developing countries and people in conflict-hit areas.

Ensuring an environment of peace and stability, andprotecting essential infrastructure are key factors to vaccine universalisation,he continued.

He proposed the UNSC step up the implementation ofResolution 2532, especially the call for a global ceasefire, considering this aprerequisite for the UN and relevant sides to directly deliver vaccines for humanitarianpurposes.

The international community needs to deal with theroot cause of conflicts, uncertainties and inequalities, while engaging inglobal multi-lateral efforts led by the UN in order to build a strong andself-reliant medical system, and boost development cooperation, and globaltrade and economy post COVID-19, Minh stressed.

The official said the enhanced solidarity and multi-lateralcooperation, both regionally and globally, would help to effectively cope withthe epidemic.

As an active member of ASEAN and the UN, Vietnam willmake more contributions to joint efforts in the pandemic fight, Minh pledged.

Delegates at the debate shared the view that the safeand effective universalisation of COVID-19 vaccines plays an important role incontaining the pandemic’s spread, and minimising economy, health and educationlosses.

Resolution 2532, adopted on July 1, 2020, supports aglobal ceasefire and calls for an immediate ‘humanitarian pause for at least 90consecutive days’ to allow humanitarian assistance to be delivered.

COVAX is one of three pillars of the Access toCOVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, which was launched in April by the WorldHealth Organization (WHO), the European Commission and France in response tothis pandemic.

It is the only truly global solution to this pandemicbecause it is the only effort to ensure that people in all corners of the worldwill get access to COVID-19 vaccines once they are available, regardless oftheir wealth./.