President Sisi says he appreciates selecting Egypt among countries having access to vaccine manufacture technology

BRUSSELS – Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on Friday voiced his appreciation for selecting Egypt among African countries that will have access to COVID-19 vaccine manufacture technology.

Speaking at the second day activities of the sixth European Union (EU) – African Union (AU) Summit in Brussels, Sisi added that Egypt has invested in the vaccine manufacture technology and supported African countries to provide them to their citizens.

“The pandemic has surprised the whole world, and therefore the move was to find a swift solution,” President Sisi said, adding that it took some time, but “arriving late is better than not arriving.”

President Sisi said, “Our presence here today is a true reflection of what international partnership and solidarity can achieve in the health field via finding effective means to confront global challenges if the necessary political will exists, and there was a sense of our common destiny.”

Sisi added that the summit is also a result of efforts made by France and South Africa over the past period to crystallize a common African-European vision to support the African continent to have access to the medical technology necessary for the production of vaccines.

President Sisi commended the efforts exerted by the World Health Organization to enable the African continent to overcome the negative health, economic and social impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

Africa’s success in overcoming the negative impacts of COVID-19 also contributes to protecting the whole world, Sisi said, noting that Egypt is currently working on the production of coronavirus vaccines, whether for local use or to provide them to African countries depending on the their medical and manufacturing infrastructure.

The Egyptian leader called on all partners from friendly countries, international organizations and financial institutions to promote health-related efforts meant to support African countries and provide them with the necessary sustainable funding to meet their health needs.

He also urged strengthening international mechanisms related to vaccine distribution in order to make it more just and responsive to the social and economic conditions of each country.