BRICS foreign ministers support patent waiver proposal by India and South Africa

BRICS, the five-nation grouping, has backed the COVID-19 vaccines patent waiver proposal by India and South Africa. It also highlighted the need for equitable access and distribution of the essential vaccine.

Hosted by India as BRICS chair for 2021, the virtual meeting was attended by Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, minister of international relations of South Africa Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor and Brazilian foreign minister Carlos Alberto Franco.

According to a joint statement, the ministers reaffirmed the need to use all relevant measures during the pandemic, including supporting ongoing consideration in WTO on a COVID-19 vaccine intellectual property rights waiver and the use of flexibilities of the TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) agreement.

It said the ministers recognized the role of extensive immunization against COVID-19 as a global public good for health in preventing, containing and stopping transmission to bring the pandemic to an end and foster a rapid, inclusive and resilient recovery.

“The ministers recognized that the current global challenges, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic, are a powerful reminder of the imperative to strengthen cooperation amongst states,” the statement highlighted. “While acknowledging the measures taken by WHO, governments, non-profit organizations, academia, business and industry in combating the pandemic, they also expect the international community to reform and strength policy responses of WHO to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and other current and future health challenges.”

Furthermore, the BRICS member nations also reiterated the need for sharing of vaccine doses, transfer of technology, development of local production capacities and supply chains for medical products, promotion of price transparency and called for the exercise of due restraint in the implementation of measures that could hinder the flow of vaccines, health products and essential inputs.

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They called for the timely establishment and effective operationalization of the BRICS Vaccine Research and Development Centre and stressed the need for further work on the proposal for BRICS integrated early warning system for preventing mass infectious diseases risk. “They further emphasized the importance of delivering economic outcomes that reflect the needs and aspirations of BRICS in particular, and emerging markets and developing economies in general, especially the importance of BRICS in responding to the COVID-19  crisis through policy support and enhancing intra-BRICS and international coordination,” the statement said.