After a year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has endured immense suffering, lost lives, economic upheaval, and societal disruptions. The most vulnerable have suffered the most.
This year saw empty office buildings, quiet streets, and closed schools worldwide. I commend everyone for adapting to new ways of working, learning, and living. I honor healthcare workers for their dedication and all essential workers for keeping communities running. I salute those who fought misinformation and followed safety protocols, saving lives.
The United Nations will continue to mobilize the international community to make vaccines affordable and accessible to all, recover better, and focus on the needs of those most affected by the crisis—women, minorities, the elderly, persons with disabilities, refugees, migrants, and indigenous peoples.
With the advent of vaccines, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. The COVAX initiative has begun delivering vaccines worldwide, including to low-income countries. However, I am deeply concerned that many low-income countries have yet to receive a single dose, while richer countries are on track to fully vaccinate their populations. Vaccine nationalism and hoarding by wealthier countries, along with ongoing side deals with manufacturers, undermine global access.
The global vaccination campaign is the greatest moral test of our time. It’s essential to restart the global economy and help the world move from isolating communities to eliminating the virus. COVID-19 vaccines must be considered a global public good. The world needs to unite to produce and distribute enough vaccines for everyone, which means at least doubling manufacturing capacity globally.
Let’s work to achieve this. Only together can we end this pandemic and recover from its impacts. Only together can we revive our economies. Then, together, we can return to the things we love.
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