This is the European Union’s chance. But it’s going to take some explaining to its citizens.
If the prosperous, democratic, and stable EU wants to bring the coronavirus pandemic under control, it’s going to require a major, global effort to do so. This insidious virus knows no borders.
“The virus knows no borders and has no interest in the nationality of its victims,” German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier told the World Health Summit, which took place virtually on October 25–27, 2020.
“It will overcome all barriers if we do not work together to counter it. In the face of the virus, we are without doubt a global community. But the key question is: Are we able to act like one?”
Then Steinmeier got to the nub of what is a political, social, and ethical issue. “Will political leaders manage to explain convincingly that it is advantageous for all of us if as a first step some people are vaccinated in all countries instead of all people in some countries?” he asked.
COVAX, a global collaboration co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and the World Health Organization, wants to “accelerate the development and manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines, and to guarantee fair and equitable access for every country in the world.” It’s about making the vaccine a global public good. This should be in Europe’s interests too.
Selling Steinmeier’s idea to a European public—he has suggested that nurses in African countries be vaccinated as a first step, and soonest—needs a big PR push.
The German taxpayers are shouldering state aid for its pharmaceutical company BioNTech, which in cooperation with Pfizer, its American partner, has started vaccinations in the United States and the United Kingdom. A German taxpayer could turn around and say, “This is our vaccine. We need it given the rising mortality and infection rate.”
And just wait until the arguments begin about which sectors or professions in EU countries should be first in line to get the jab. So far, so good: it will be healthcare workers and the most vulnerable.
There’s little doubt that most Europeans will want the vaccine as soon as possible. But the EU should also move fast to vaccinate especially doctors and nurses in as many affected and vulnerable African countries as possible. There are several compelling reasons to do this.
First is the destructive nature of the virus. The longer it flourishes, the greater the chance of it mutating in ways that make it even more deadly, contagious, or just difficult to vaccinate against. This could already be happening in Great Britain. Getting it rolled out quickly across Africa is crucial.
Second, the coronavirus pandemic is destroying the remittances that migrants based in Europe and other countries send home to their families. These remittances are often the lifeline for their siblings to get educated and for their parents to buy medicines, food, and clothes and pay the rent. Fewer remittances could spell increased poverty and instability.
A World Bank study in April showed remittance flows to sub-Saharan Africa are expected to decline by 23.1 percent to reach $37 billion (€30 billion) in 2020, down from $48 billion (€39 billion) in 2019. A recovery of only 4 percent is expected in 2021. What a setback for a region where economies were growing, and weak governance was being tackled.
Third, here is a chance for Europe’s soft power. Yes, the EU is already Africa’s biggest donor. Most of the money is channeled through its European Development Fund, of which the eleventh and current edition has a €29.1 billion budget. Most of it is for national and regional cooperation programs.
But now, distributing the coronavirus vaccine provides a unique opportunity for the EU and Africa to work together and build a relationship of optimism and trust—which is sorely needed. That trust got a battering when a planned EU–African Union summit on December 9 was postponed on very short notice. Both sides, privately, blamed each other.
Fourth, if the EU and European governments are really serious about their soft power, this is the time to share the vaccine in a way that counters the global influence of China.
China has already been sending vaccines for trials in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, and the Philippines. In Indonesia, by the way, the country’s state-owned pharmaceutical company, after having said on December 8 that CoronaVac—a Chinese vaccine—was 97 percent effective, later that day said the efficacy of the vaccine could not yet be determined. Distrust of China’s intentions in Asia runs deep.
As for China’s relations with Africa, where it has built huge infrastructure projects on the back of loans to several countries and is extracting much-needed raw materials, the Chinese leadership has gone on the offensive.
In June, Chinese President Xi Jinping told a meeting of African leaders that “African countries will be among the first to benefit” from a coronavirus vaccine, once its development and deployment is completed in China.
Moreover, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has pledged that Beijing would extend $11 billion (€9 billion) in loans for vaccines to Latin American and Caribbean countries.
But there’s no such thing as a free Chinese vaccine there or in Africa. All the more reason for the EU to seize the opportunity to boost its soft power with a combination of philanthropy and a big dose of self-interest.
In short, this is Europe’s chance to make a difference globally—and show African countries that there is an alternative to the China model. It shouldn’t waste it.
Comments(2)
China’s Health Silk Road to Africa will not have long last strategic impact, and the EU should simply concentrate its efforts on areas of Central Europe that Russia might attempt to massively distribute the Sputnik V vaccine to at little or no cost. The central long term issue for Africa is insurgency in rural areas related to ISIS and Al-Shabaab. China can’t reap rewards for its investments in Africa without military confrontation with these Islamic fundamentalists who see the Chinese, the EU, and the USA as all imperialists in Africa. China has no stomach for fighting insurgents except on the fringes of China itself. If the Silk Road strategy in Africa leads to its own military quagmire so much the better for both the EU and the USA, welcome to the costs of being a global power.
Africa and India are different, the number of cases and deaths is very low compared with Europe/EU/ Russia. Without any doubt, the more the virus lingers around, infecting the younger population, the probability of mutating increases. However, the way the author constructs the argument, it looks more like geopolitics than real concern for possible catastrophic consequences. Anybody, for sure the peoples from Africa, remember that the European colonial powers have spent many years in Africa with little to show. Many African conscripts fought in the 1914 – 1945 war in Europe, in 1914 joined by Chinese workers. All were looking for a generous treatment at Versailles, Wilson’s principles, to no avail. Sudan, for example, became independent in 1956. One of the consequences of WWI was that the German colonies in Africa were reassigned, instead of freedom. China offering them a better deal for raw materials and agricultural products, or better prices for Chinese manufactured goods, it is a long discussion, prices are determined on the international markets; China is now Africa largest economic partner. Strictly in terms of the Covid pandemic, Europe doesn’t appear to be in the position to supply large quantities of PPE to Africa, the most basic need right now. Vaccines, it isn’t clear how easy it is to supply BNT, with its cold chain requirements, and it is just now the EU has contracted large quantities. In total the EU has some 2.3 billion doses, which will arrive over a period of time, different types. The Sinovac/Sinopharm vaccines, based on the inactivated virus technology appear to be effective. Aside from any geopolitical considerations, the sooner they get in people’s arms, the better for everybody. Same for the DNA based Sputnik V/Astra Zeneca, including combined. The sooner they get in the space of the Monroe doctrine, the better, any of them, including local manufacturing. However, one thing should be clear, the way the pandemic was handled in the EU/Europe/Russia, as well as the US is inexcusable. There was incredible lack of preparation, and the lack of PPE production capacities is unacceptable. The EU is known for bureaucracies, so a special commission to analyze what happened, ideally overseen by Kovesi, should already be at work. Aside from PPE, for example, the commission should make sure that the Swedish people gets a clear explanation on the heard immunity concept. There is also the long overdue report on where it all started, China still owes it to all of us.
Comment Policy
Comments that include profanity, personal attacks, or other inappropriate material will be removed. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, steps will be taken to block users who violate any of the posting standards, terms of use, privacy policies, or any other policies governing this site. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.