Quad countries pledge to donate over 1.2 billion vaccine doses globally amidst COVID pandemic
- ByStartupStory | September 25, 2021
The Quad countries – India, US, Japan and Australia – have pledged to donate more than 1.2 billion doses of coronavirus vaccine globally amidst the COVID pandemic. The vaccines will be donated in addition to the doses the Quad nations have financed through COVAX, the quadrilateral group said in a joint statement, as quoted by the White House.
“COVID has caused continued global suffering; the climate crisis has accelerated; regional security has become ever-more complex, testing all of our countries individually and together. But cooperation remains unflinching,” it added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Friday held the Quad leaders’ meeting. It was hosted by the US leader.
The Quad leaders also committed to better preparations for a pandemic in future. “We will continue to build coordination for health-security efforts in the Indo-Pacific, and we will jointly conduct at least one pandemic preparedness tabletop or exercise in 2022,” they said. “Japan, through Japan Bank for International Cooperation, will work with India to enhance key investments of approximately $100 million in the healthcare sector related to COVID-19, including vaccine and treatment drugs,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, PM Modi proposed a common international travelling protocol involving mutual recognition of the COVID-19 vaccination certificate at Quad leaders meeting, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Friday.
The proposal was “well-received” by all leaders of Quad nations, he added.
“PM Narendra Modi proposed a common international travelling protocol involving mutual recognition of the COVID-19 vaccination certificate. It was well-received by all Quad leaders,” Shringla said.
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