Church – Frankfurt am Main – Maas issues “vaccine diplomacy” rejection – Panorama

Frankfurt / Main (dpa) – Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) rejected the “vaccine diplomacy” during a discussion on international health policy. It is more oriented towards “the interests of countries that provide vaccines than those of countries that are urgently dependent on vaccines,” he said on Saturday at the Ecumenical Church Congress in Frankfurt. There are states that are trying to increase their geopolitical influence, he said, referring to Russia and China.

“Vaccine nationalism is not the way to go,” stressed Maas. The fight against the pandemic can only be won globally. “In the long term we will only be able to do this if everyone around us can do it,” he defended the decision to follow a common European approach when ordering vaccines.

The pandemic works like a magnifying glass and shows weaknesses in the global health system, said Gisela Schneider, director of the German Institute for Medical Mission in Tübingen. “The answer has to go beyond vaccines.” It is necessary to create resilient health systems, for example in underdeveloped or financially weak countries. In order to be able to vaccinate the world population, the suspension of patents must also be discussed, similar to drugs against HIV and AIDS. “It serves global security.”

Because of Corona, the discussion was recorded without an audience. The Kirchentag, which runs until Sunday, is largely digital.

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210515-99-608114 / 2

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