403. I make this intervention on behalf of the African Caribbean and Pacific Group. The ACP Group supports the request for the extension of the LDC transition period for pharmaceutical products under Article 66.1 of the TRIPS Agreement and for waivers from the obligations of Articles 70.8 and 70.9. Less developed economies face significant social and economic challenges brought on principally by the very poor and vulnerable communities and this affects their ability to deliver the level and quality of healthcare and support necessary to raise the quality of public health delivery. It is therefore critical that improved access to affordable medicines and vaccines be accommodated in order that they can combat infectious and non-infectious diseases.
404. For this reason Article 66.1 of the TRIPS Agreement is important for LDCs as it offers more time and therefore greater opportunity to address this special and severe health related challenges. To the extent that LDCs are able to use the flexibility offered to take advantage of this extension, then the quality of public health can be improved as we learnt from the comprehensive presentation yesterday from Uganda on behalf of the LDCs. The ACP Group therefore fully supports the unconditional extension of the transitional period under Article 66.1 of the TRIPS Agreement on the terms requested by LDCs and for waivers from obligations of Article 70.8 and 70.9. We urge all WTO Members to support the LDCs request.
