President Paul Kagame of Rwanda has warned of the global economic consequences of delayed vaccination in Africa.

In an op-ed published on 7 February on the British news website The Guardian, Kagama cited “nationalism” of Covid-19 vaccines on the part of the United States and Europe.

According to Kagame, delaying the vaccination of the poorest countries could undermine decades of progress in human development, while investing in vaccination for all would benefit international trade in the near future.

Given the current market structure, he says, African countries will need the active support of the major powers to gain access to vaccines at fair prices.

Rwanda is expecting the delivery of just over a million doses – mainly of AstraZeneca’s vaccine – by the end of February, under the WHO’s Covax programme.