53. Let me join the delegation Sri Lanka in thanking the Secretariat for the useful presentation on various dynamics around the COVID-19 pandemic, including various projections, reference to the UNICEF COVID platform, Airfinity, and so forth. Perhaps, I think it is good to emphasize, that the information is tentative and not necessarily verified.
54. However, just one very small comment that my delegation would like to make, and that is just to observe that in 2020 only 4% of projected vaccine production was delivered, and as of now we have projections, that range from between 9.5 billion to about 15 billion. As indicated also in this context, it is important to recall some of the discussions that were had, specifically, in respect of documents that were prepared by manufacturers themselves in March, where it is stated that these manufacturers would be able to supply up to 14 billion doses during the current calendar year. Chair, you know we were able to see other projections, ranging up to ten billion. Nonetheless, if we really look at the baseline as of 17 May, it is reported that at one point, seven billion doses would have been produced. Now this is way below the projected figure for the end of the year. We are already six months into this year and the level of doses that have been produced and distributed lags far behind the projections that are seen in these documents.
55. Moreover, we have said on many occasions that the distribution and administration of vaccines remains inequitable, and we see that more than 75% of all vaccines have been administered in only about ten countries. This remains one of the biggest problems that we face in the in the current situation. And if we look at some of the COVID dashboards, we see that even COVAX has only managed to deliver 72 million doses to-date, which is 3.6% of the two billion doses it was supposed to deliver in 2021. So, given all these particular factors here, I think we need to apply a good dose of reality when we look at these production figures.