Leaders of Asian Pacific nations agreed on Friday to step up COVID-19 vaccination sharing efforts as China said it has pledged US$3 billion in international aid to support coronavirus response efforts in developing countries.
The virtual retreat for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders included U.S. President Joe Biden, Chinese Prime Minister Xi Jinping, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Russian President Vladimir Putin, gathering at a moment when the delta variant is spurring a spike in infections around the globe.
The Biden administration has fallen short on its goal of delivering 80 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to the rest of the world by the end of June as a host of logistical and regulatory hurdles slowed the pace of U.S. efforts. The leaders also pledged to move forward on taking action to lower costly tariffs that complicate the movement of vaccines across borders ahead of APEC's meeting set for November. Vials, syringes and packaging frequently face significant tariffs, what Ardern described as "a very real problem that APEC economies have the ability to remove."
The U.S. has donated 4.5 million vaccine doses to Indonesia, 2 million to Vietnam and 1 million to Malaysia, and 3.2 million doses will soon be delivered to the Philippines. The White House says donations to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Papua New Guinea will soon be delivered. Laos and Cambodia are the only countries among those eight vaccine recipients that are not APEC members.
APEC nations lost more than 80 million jobs during the pandemic as the global economy lilted amid restrictions and lockdowns.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Summer setback: COVID-19 deaths and cases rising again globallyCOVID-19 deaths and cases are on the rise again globally in a dispiriting setback that is triggering another round of restrictions and dampening hopes for an almost normal summer of fun.
Read more »
One in four Canadian girls don’t plan to return to sports after COVID-19 pandemic: reportAs recreational facilities reopen across Canada, a new report says that many girls may not be returning to the sports they played before the pandemic.
Read more »
Black Canadians more likely to be hesitant about COVID-19 vaccines, survey suggestsAs of early June, Black Canadians surveyed were far less likely to report getting their first shot, and far more likely to express hesitation at doing so than white Canadians
Read more »
COVID-19: Guelph prepares to move into Step 3 of Ontario’s reopening plan | Globalnews.caEntering Step 3 paves the way for visitors to be allowed inside River Run and Sleeman centres, along with the city's museums and recreation facilities.
Read more »
‘Genetic fingerprint’ from wastewater key to tracking COVID-19 outbreaks, researchers sayResearchers at the University of Calgary say a pilot project testing the city’s water is providing a valuable tool in the fight against COVID-19
Read more »