Vaccine nationalism dangerous for world: Ramaphosa

Warning against dangers of 'vaccine nationalism', South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday said everyone cannot be safe if some countries vaccinate their people and others are not able to do so.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum's online Davos Agenda Summit, he said, ''The challenges we face were not created by the virus, they were created by us.'' The South African President said poverty, destruction of environment and conflict are ''all the results of our own action, and -- too often -- our inaction.'' Extreme poverty is expected to rise for the first time in decades and the world is at a crossroads, he added.

He called for forging a new path, saying the task is not to return the world to where it was when the pandemic struck.

Climate solutions and climate adaptation are a key focus for Africa, a continent that is disproportionately affected by climate change, despite contributing less to the problem than countries in the developed world.

On COVID-19, Ramaphosa said African countries have come together to implement a coordinated plan to battle the pandemic and one of the most significant innovations is the African Medical Supplies Platform, which has allowed African states to access supplies at reduced prices.

However, he expressed a note of caution around the rollout and availability of vaccines.

''We are deeply concerned about the issue of vaccine nationalism, which unless addressed will endanger the recovery of all countries,'' he said.

''We are not safe if some countries are vaccinating their people, and others are not... It affects all of us equally, and our remedies and actions to combat it must also be equal,'' he added.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)