US Needs To Boost Vaccine Efforts In LatAm, Caribbean: OAS

Washington, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Mar, 2021 ) :The chief of the Organization of American States on Wednesday called on Washington to boost its efforts to deliver Covid-19 vaccines to Latin America and the Caribbean.

Luis Almagro appeared before a hearing of the US Senate's Foreign Relations Committee, urging the United States to collaborate with its neighbors on vaccination efforts, as Russia and China have already made promises to the region.

"The recent US commitment to support its immediate neighbors' access vaccines is a welcome start," Almagro said.

"More needs to be done to ensure vaccines also flow to your third border with the Caribbean, and throughout the continent." The White House announced last week that the United States would send millions of doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine -- which has not yet been authorized for use in the US -- to Canada and Mexico, which have both issued approvals for the vaccine's emergency use.

During the hearing, Republican Senator Todd Young asked about "vaccine diplomacy" already underway in the Americas by Moscow and Beijing.

"It's clear that both of these countries intend to use their vaccines as a tool to accomplish a broader foreign policy set of goals," he said.

"Are you worried about countries receiving these vaccines with some potentially significant strings attached?" Almagro said countries were looking wherever they could to provide vaccines for their populations.

"That's why I asked you during my presentation for a stronger commitment of the United States of America," he said, urging the US to deliver potential vaccine doses "sooner.""It is helpful to help others, and that I think is, should be the policy of the United States to the rest of the continent relative to this matter," he said, calling on the whole western hemisphere to work amongst themselves.