Ambassador Mero (United Republic of Tanzania)

Bangladesh

13 The United Nations Secretary-General's High-Level Panel Report on Access to Medicines

613. Let me join others in thanking the proponents India, Brazil, China and South Africa for proposing this agenda item today. The delegation of Bangladesh welcomes the report of the UN SG HLP on access to medicines. Bangladesh benefited immensely from the flexibilities under the TRIPS Agreement. We could guarantee production and availability of affordable medicines to our huge population of 160 million. We have developed a reasonably viable technological base for production of lifesaving drugs. So we wholeheartedly support the calls and effort to ensure access to medicine and support the recommendations of the HLP to make essential medicines available to all.

The Council took note of the statements made and agreed to take the matter up as an ad hoc agenda item at its next meeting.

70. The Chairman said that Brazil, China, India and South Africa had requested that this item be added to the agenda. They had submitted a communication that briefly introduced the item, circulated in document IP/C/W/619.

71. The representatives of India, Brazil, South Africa, China, Ecuador, Egypt, Indonesia, Bangladesh, the Russian Federation, the United States, Canada, the European Union, Chile, Australia, Switzerland, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Plurinational State of Bolivia and Norway took the floor.

72. The representatives of the Holy See, WHO, UNCTAD, and UNAIDS took the floor.

73. The representative of the Secretariat took the floor.

74. The Council took note of the statements made and agreed to take the matter up as an ad hoc agenda item at its next meeting.

IP/C/M/83, IP/C/M/83/Add.1