Apec leaders agree to co-operate on global vaccine push in v… – MENAFN.COM

Apec leaders agree to co-operate on global vaccine push in v… – MENAFN.COM

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaking at a press conference after the Apec Informal Leaders' Retreat at the Majestic Centre in Wellington. (MENAFN - Gulf Times) Pacific Rim leaders vowed to ramp up the production and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines at an emergency virtual meeting to develop an action plan that will contain the global pandemic. The unprecedented talks brought together heads of state from the 21-nation Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) group, including US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who convened the online summit at short notice, described discussions as"rich", saying they set a strong agenda for Apec's major leaders' meeting in November. "For the first time in Apec's history, leaders have come together for an extraordinary meeting focused exclusively on Covid-19 and how our region can navigate out of the worst health and economic crisis in living memory," she said. "Front of mind for leaders is achieving widespread access for vaccines globally and working collaboratively to provide them to everyone as soon as possible." The meeting produced few specific commitments, although China's Xi promised $3bn in aid to help developing countries recover from the social and economic impacts