FM vows to work for fastest access to vaccines against COVID-19

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) - Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, who heads the Working Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Diplomacy, has stressed the group's resolve to promote vaccine diplomacy for the country's fastest access to COVID-19 vaccines and medical equipment and drugs to treat the disease.

Amidst complicated developments of the pandemic due to the resurgence of new variants, vaccine is considered a strategic and sustainable solution in the fight against the pandemic, Son stated, affirming that the vaccine strategy is a both very urgent and strategic and long-term task to control and soon repel the pandemic.

In the context that the country has not been able to produce a vaccine against COVID-19 and the shortage of vaccines in the world, vaccine diplomacy is a very important "front" because securing vaccine supply  is the first and decisive step for the successful implementation of the vaccine strategy.

David McNaught (C), Political and Prosperity Counsellor at the British Embassy in Vietnam, hands over the donation of 415,000 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to Vietnam (Photo: VNA)

The establishment of the Working Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Diplomacy demonstrates the Government’s high determination in implementing the vaccine strategy to expand vaccination to cover the entire population, Son stated.

The minister said that the diplomatic sector has also taken the lead in the implementation of vaccine diplomacy, suggesting the inclusion of vaccine campaigning in the Party and State's external activities, and looking for vaccine sources through Vietnamese representative missions abroad.

To date, most important partners and traditional friends of Vietnam have provided support to Vietnam, supplying millions of doses of vaccines and large quantities of medical equipment, thus serving COVID-19 prevention and control in the country, especially in southern provinces and cities.

Son affirmed that the diplomatic sector will continue to work with all ministries and sectors,  including the Government's working group, to make every effort and contribute its best to the successful implementation of the dual goals of pandemic fight and economic recovery and development./.

VNA