BREAKING NEWS

WTO vaccine waiver may take months to negotiate, faces opposition -experts

By REUTERS

MAY 7, 2021 01:33

WASHINGTON - World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations on a waiver of intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines could take months - provided they can overcome significant opposition from some member countries, trade experts say.

The talks also are likely to focus on a waiver that is significantly narrower in scope and shorter in duration than the one initially proposed by India and South Africa last October.

Prior to U.S. President Joe Biden's decision on Wednesday to back talks for a vaccine waiver, the two countries confirmed their intention to draft a new proposal after seven months of opposition.

WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala welcomed Biden's move on Thursday and urged talks on the new plan to start as soon as possible. "The world is watching and people are dying," she added.

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