PM Lee Calls For International Cooperation to Aid in Securing Covid-19 Vaccines For All Countries

Last Updated on 2021-04-20 , 3:31 pm

As the wise adage goes, teamwork makes the dream work. 

And if there’s anywhere in which this phrase rings particularly true, it’s probably in the field of international cooperation. 

This is especially so in today’s COVID-19 context—although interaction between countries has diminished considerably, and we’re still unable to jet off to JB for our favourite weekend shopping sprees, mutual cooperation remains key in battling the pandemic. 

Today (Feb 24), in a video message for a global conference, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called for international cooperation to ensure that all countries are able to get access to COVID-19 vaccines, including developing countries. 

PM Lee Calls For International Cooperation to Aid in Securing Covid-19 Vaccines For All Countries

During the broadcast for Global Citizen’s “Recovery Plan for the World” campaign, which was live on YouTube, PM Lee announced in a pre-recorded video that Singapore is currently engaging in discussions with other countries over vaccine certification to resume travel. 

He urged global cooperation among countries, saying, “Even as each of us gears up to secure our own (vaccine) supplies, we must cooperate internationally so that all countries, including developing ones, have access to vaccines for their people.” 

PM Lee also mentioned that Singapore had backed the G-20 high-level independent panel which was set up in January in order to come up with ways to fund the world’s readiness for potential pandemics in the future. 

You can watch PM Lee’s video message right below. 

Global Citizen’s “Recovery Plan for the World” Campaign 

If you’re unfamiliar with Global Citizen’s “Recovery Plan for the World” Campaign, here’s a brief rundown. 

Global Citizen is an international advocacy organisation which launched the “Recovery Plan for the World” campaign with five main aims:

1. 1. End the COVID-19 pandemic for all
   2. End the hunger crisis
   3. Resume learning in all parts of the world 
   4. Protect the planet
   5. Advance equity for all 

The campaign is supported by big names such as Billie Eilish, Coldplay, Usher, Miley Cyrus, Priyanka Chopra Jones, and even K-pop group SuperM. 

In the pandemic-stricken year of 2020, Global Citizen led advocacy efforts and delivered financial aid to combat COVID-19. The organisation managed to disburse close to USD$1.1 billion to fund efforts against the coronavirus. 

Another campaign of Global Citizen’s launched last year in collaboration with the European Commission titled “Global Goal: Unite for Our Future” managed to provide 250 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the world’s poorest countries. 

To find out more about Global Citizen and their campaign efforts, click here.

Feature Image: Youtube (The Straits Times)