Minutes - TRIPS Council - View details of the intervention/statement

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1. Meeting date

2. Chairperson

H.E. Ambassador Xolelwa Mlumbi-Peter

3. Intervention by

Tanzania on behalf of African Group

4. Agenda item

14 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND PUBLIC INTEREST: BEYOND ACCESS TO MEDICINES AND MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES TOWARDS A MORE HOLISTIC APPROACH TO TRIPS FLEXIBILITIES

5. Statement/summary of statement

  1. The African Group thanks South Africa for their paper contained in document IP/C/W/666 as communicated by South Africa. We think this communication comes at a critical time when discussions on TRIPS flexibilities are more relevant than ever, considering the situation WTO Members are going through in relation to COVID-19.
  2. The African Group has on several occasions reiterated the importance and need to intensifying discussions on TRIPS flexibilities particularly in line with the fight against COVID-19. The Group has been calling for solidarity and cooperation to ensure that treatment for COVID-19 is accessible and affordable to the world as a public good. In this connection, we recognize that the TRIPS Council has a significant contribution to play in the achievement of this objective.
  3. COVID-19 has exposed the deficiencies of our public health systems, particularly for the developing and LDCs. For instance, Africa has been overdependent on imports of medicinal and pharmaceuticals, a situation that has subjected our public health systems to systemic vulnerabilities, which were fully exposed during COVID-19 outbreak when global supplies fell short on essential medical supplies such as ventilators, diagnostic devices, protective gears and equipment (PPEs) and medicines.
  4. It is against this background that the African Group has raised its concerns on the COVID-19 impact and outlined them in document WT/GC/219 and TN/C/20. With our submission, together with that by South Africa, we believe we can meaningfully contribute to discussions on the COVID 19 impact and the requisite trade policy tools to build our capacities and support our resilience to crises such as COVID–19.

6. Documents referred to in intervention

7. Conclusion

The Council took note of the statements made.

8. Summary of the agenda item (if available)

55.   The Chair said that this item had been put on the agenda at the request of South Africa. A communication concerning had been circulated in document IP/C/W/666. She invited South Africa to introduce the item.
56.   The representative of South Africa took the floor to introduce the item.
57.   The representatives of Nigeria; Indonesia; Chile; Tanzania, on behalf of the African Group; Colombia; China; Malaysia; Zimbabwe; India; Chinese Taipei; Canada; the United Kingdom; the European Union; Ecuador; Australia; Switzerland; the United States of America; Sri Lanka; Japan; and the WHO took the floor.
58.   The Council took note of the statements made.

9. Document symbol and date of distribution

IP/C/M/95, IP/C/M/95/Add.1
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