UN Security Council open debate on ensuring equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines in contexts affected by conflict and insecurity

New York, 17 February 2021

The far-reaching impacts of COVID-19 underscore the importance of solidarity: all countries must work together to address the pandemic, to assist vulnerable populations, to support the continued flow of goods and services, and to develop and provide equitable global access to effective therapeutics, diagnostics, and vaccines.

People living in fragile and conflict-affected settings face challenges exacerbated by poverty, insecurity, and, in many cases, protracted humanitarian crises and limited access to health care services. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by COVID-19 isolation and quarantine measures, in particular by the increase in gender-based violence and limited access to sexual and reproductive health and rights and services. Collectively, we must do more to advance sexual and reproductive rights around the world, helping women and girls step forward even as the pandemic tries to pull them back.

In this regard, the Security Council, Member States, the UN, and civil society actors all have a role to play to ensure the most vulnerable are not left further behind. Canada believes that we must support other countries in their fight against COVID-19 to protect the most vulnerable, wherever they are. Since February 2020, Canada has demonstrated this commitment by announcing nearly $1.6 billion in new and additional support for the global response to COVID-19.

The successful operationalization of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT)-Accelerator and the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility shows that when the world comes together, anything is possible. The ACT-Accelerator and its pillars are unprecedented in terms of how quickly global support has been mobilized, the ambition of their mission, and the global impact being generated.

Canada is fully committed to the ACT-Accelerator, including as a member of the COVAX Facility, and supporter of the Advanced Market Commitment. Through COVAX, Canada is supporting rapid, fair and equitable access to safe, effective and high quality vaccines for all participating countries.

Canada calls on countries to include all the people within their border, including refugees, internally displaced and migrants, in their national vaccination plans.  We also call on the Security Council and all parties to conflicts to fully implement Security Council Resolution 2532, and to ensure rapid, safe and unimpeded access of humanitarian personnel for the provision of all life-saving health services, including undertaking vaccination efforts.

The role of UN peace operations in supporting host states, protecting vulnerable civilians and communities, including those in detention, and stopping the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic is absolutely vital. Canada appreciates the extraordinary service and sacrifice of the civilian and uniformed personnel, including corrections personnel, deployed to UN peace operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. We welcome efforts to ensure the vaccination of UN personnel, recognizing that this is a sovereign decision with individual informed consent, and strongly encourages the continued exchange of information between the Secretariat and Member States in this regard. Furthermore, we encourage all Member States to ensure the timely and full payment of assessed contributions, and to facilitate the movement of UN personnel and material across international borders, which is critical to ensuring UN peace operations can support efforts to end the pandemic while still fully delivering on their mandates.

Canada also recognizes the important role of civil society organizations, UN and other humanitarian agencies in immunization, not just around service delivery and provision to under-serviced communities, including fragile and conflict-affected communities, but also in planning, oversight and accountability. We must work together to combat vaccine hesitancy and build trust and confidence in immunization.

Further, Canada continues to advocate for the protection of medical and humanitarian personnel and the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 2286, including locally recruited responders on the frontlines of the pandemic response, their means of transport and equipment. Canada calls for rapid, safe and unimpeded access to those in need, in accordance with international law. Canada also highlights the work of programming partners in conflict prevention and peacebuilding, including women peacebuilders, who have adjusted activities to address and mitigate pandemic impacts.

Canada remains committed to a robust, human rights-based and gender-responsive approach, underpinned by multilateralism and collaboration, to stop the spread of COVID-19 and address its devastating health, nutrition, social, economic, and security impacts on people around the world, including in countries affected by conflict and fragility.