World leaders shouldn’t punish African countries, says Adesina

By Nduka Chiejina, Abuja and Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie, Lagos

African Development Bank (AfDB) President Akinwumi Adesina yesterday advised world leaders not to label or penalise African nations for the new COVID-19 variants and mutations.

Adesina, one of the strong advocates of equity in vaccine distribution, said this in a series of tweets yesterday in the wake of the new COVID-19 variant spreading and causing panic.

He said Africa is not the source of the COVID-19 pandemic and should not be penalised for new variants, urging for global justice, equity, and fairness in access to vaccines.

The AfDB boss tweeted: “Africa should not be labelled and penalized for COVID-19 variants and mutations that occur randomly elsewhere in the world. Africa is not the source of COVID-19.

“There must be global justice, equity & fairness in access to vaccines. Global vaccine supply system has underserved Africa. Protecting one’s home alone in the midst of a forest fire does not work. Put out the forest fire.

“Africa must accelerate the manufacturing of its own vaccines & set up its own ‘healthcare security defence system’. Africa must no longer outsource health security of its 1.8 billion people to the benevolence of others.”