Appeal for Vaccines and Medications for All in Africa

The Speakers of the African Parliaments meeting in Rabat, capital of the Kingdom of Morocco:

- Invoking the continental and global health context marked with the propagation of the Covid19 pandemic and its health, social, and economic repercussions, particularly on African peoples and economies,

- Warning against the aggravation of health conditions in Africa due to the propagation of the pandemic and the weak resources of African countries to address it, in terms of medical infrastructure, medications, and vaccines,

- Noting with deep regret the continuous practices of the governments of rich countries and the international laboratories that produce anti-Covid19 vaccines in subjecting these vaccines to the logic of the market and the rules of patents and intellectual and industrial properties at a time when humanity faces a common threat that would persist as long as vaccines are not made available to all peoples on earth,

1. Commend the initiatives of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the Monarch of the Kingdom of Morocco, and highly praise the measures His Majesty ordered during the first months of the propagation of the Covid19 pandemic, namely sending urgent medical aids (medications, masks, ventilators, and disinfectors…) to several African countries to reinforce their capabilities in addressing the pandemic, which was a concrete practical reflection of the initiative that His Majesty launched with several of his brotherly leaders of African countries since the first weeks of the pandemic's propagation to mobilize and unify African efforts in their battle against Covid19,

2. Hail the Moroccan efforts lead by His Majesty King Mohammed VI to ensure African sovereignty regarding vaccines, which has yielded the launch of a project of fill-finish manufacturing of anti-Covid19 vaccines and other vaccines in Morocco, and the personal supervision of His Majesty in accomplishing this project and concluding agreements on the matter, which makes of the Kingdom a continental base of production of vaccines that African peoples will benefit from,

3. Note with satisfaction the call of the President of the United States of America, Mr.  Joseph Robinette Biden, for suspending patents on anti-covid19 vaccines, call for the urgent implementation of this initiative considering the rapid proliferation of the pandemic, and laud his initiative of allocating 500,000 vaccine doses to countries in need,

4. Call and insist on the major industrial powers and international laboratories and firms to suspend patents on anti-Covid19 vaccines to enable all peoples on earth, including African peoples, to acquire the vaccine and produce it locally, in application of the principles of the right to life, health, and medications for all,

5. Request easing the transfer of the technology of the production of vaccines, empowering African countries under international and local partnerships that involve the public and private sectors, and develop local production units that would also be utilized to produce other vaccines that protect from other diseases, especially those prevailing in Africa,

6. Urge rich countries to show practical solidarity with Africa by sending enough vaccines to African countries, especially those most in need, to stop the spread of the pandemic,

7. Consider that the values of global solidarity, humanity, justice, and equity are put to the test during this tough juncture that humanity is undergoing, especially that Africa already faces other scourges it is not responsible for, such as climate change, terrorism, asylum, migration, and drought, and works tirelessly to construct its institutions and achieve development and democracy. They also draw attention that these efforts are being undermined today because of the Covid19 pandemic that forces millions of people towards poverty and fragility, while several humans die because of the weak patient care structures and medical means in Africa, and because the pandemic transcends the resources of the continent,

8. Decide to submit this appeal to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and invite him to consider it as an official document of the Organization, and to the Speakers of African national Parliaments and multilateral parliamentary organizations, and call them to mobilize swiftly for achieving medication justice in Africa and providing the continent with vaccines. They, additionally, call attention to the major imbalances in accessing the right to vaccines and medications at the universal level.