The Basque government is committed to Global Health

The Basque governement demands the temporary suspension of vaccine patents and contributes resources to COVAX-AMC.

On 25 May, the President of the Basque Government, Iñigo Urkullu, signed a Basque Statement in favour of the temporary suspension of patents for vaccines against COVID-19 promoted by eLankidetza-Basque Agency for Development Cooperation. The institutional text was also signed by representatives of Amnesty International, Oxfam Intermón and Doctors Without Borders and health professional associations.

In addition, eLankidetza has contributed €500,000 to the Vaccine Alliance GAVI, which co-directs the COVAX-AMC mechanism. The subsidy will contribute to facilitating 1.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to 92 countries with medium-low and low incomes.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made obvious global interdependence and the need for solidarity. Faced with this situation, and aware that more action is needed, the Basque Government believes that having safe, efficient vaccines against the virus, vaccines that can reach the entire population of the world, is essential to slow down the disease and the consequences it is having on the increase in poverty and inequalities.

The signatories of the statement believe that “it is necessary to cooperate on a global scale to eliminate the possible obstacles preventing the guarantee of vaccines being developed and manufactured in sufficient quantities and being distributed in a timely and inclusive fashion throughout the world.”

The statement can be read in Spanish here.