President Stevo Pendarovski participated in the virtual Global Covid-19 Summit: Ending the Pandemic and Building Back Better to Prepare for the Next, organized by US President Joe Biden, on the sidelines of the 76th United Nations General Assembly, which is held in New York.
In the video address, President Pendarovski stressed that vaccination against Covid-19 worldwide, without delay, is a key. To achieve a high vaccination rate globally, as President Pendarovski said, we all need to fight systemic injustices with fair, inclusive and equitable distribution of effective vaccines. President Pendarovski expressed support for the shared global targets for tackling the Covid-19 pandemic, presented by US President Biden, as essential to stop this menace.
Esteemed Excellences, dear colleagues,
For more than a year, we have all experienced the devastating effects of the pandemic, the poor and vulnerable individuals and societies, of course, disproportionally more than the others.
No country can stop this pandemic alone. We need to work together, support each other, and remember that Covid-19 is not under control anywhere until it is under control everywhere. North Macedonia supports shared global targets presented today by the President of the US, Joe Biden and considers them as essentials to stop the menace.
Vaccinating the world without delay is a key. As I speak, 55% of the population in North Macedonia has already been vaccinated with at least one doze. Therefore, we are absolutely sure about making the pledge to fully vaccinate at least 70% of the population by the end of this year. However, to reach this target globally as soon as possible, we all need to fight systemic injustices with fair, inclusive and equitable distribution of effective vaccines. And, in the same time, we need to fight devastating effects of fake news and disinformation campaigns with truth and transparency.
Vaccination alone is not enough. In order to heal the world, we must lay the foundations of a more resilient, integrated, just and inclusive global health system that will help us prevent, detect, respond and recover from any future pandemics or other global health threats.
Only by building back better we will make sure that no one is left behind.
