Pakistan has endorsed a declaration made by Chinese President Xi Jinping rejecting “vaccine nationalism” and dispelling notions of stigmatization, according Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

In an apparent critical reference to India, Qureshi described “vaccine nationalism” as among a few new phrases that have emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic, “referring to governments entering agreements with vaccine manufacturers to supply their own populations with doses before they are available to other countries”.

Addressing  a virtual conference hosted by China  on its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Qureshi highlighted that fruitful cooperation in combating Covid-19 for timely economic rebound would require sharing experiences and best practices.

It would also involve  enhancing the availability, accessibility and affordability of vaccines through joint research and production; and called for preferential financing from multilateral development institutions for developing countries.

“We should make collective endeavors to ensure equitable and affordable supply of vaccine to developing countries,” he said.

Qureshi said “the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic were a great opportunity not only to rebuild better, but also greener.”

He emphasised Pakistan’s shift of focus from geopolitics to geoeconomics.

He added that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative, complemented Pakistan’s efforts of geo-economic shift with emphasis on economic integration and regional connectivity.

The virtual conference was organised to stress global cooperation in combating the pandemic to support economic resilience; and promoting a “Green Silk Road” for sustainable development. The conference was attended by ministers from 30 countries.

(SAM)