PRESIDENT Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, in his inaugural address to the United Nations General Assembly, touched on a number of issues which resonated deeply with people all across the globe. Among the several issues he touched on was the need for a more equitable distribution of vaccines to curb the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus.

But it was his call for nations to stop any form of discrimination on the basis of which vaccines they took that seems to have a deafening resonance with millions around the globe, particularly from the developing world, many of whom were forced, because of economic and financial constraints, to procure vaccines from multiple sources. The richer nations were in a much better position financially to procure vaccines that were approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Guyana, like so many countries, procured the Russian-manufactured Sputnik vaccines, which have high efficacy rates, comparable to any on the international market. The only difficulty is that the vaccines are not approved by the WHO, as a consequence of which it is not accepted for entry into a number of countries, even though persons may be fully vaccinated. “Millions took the vaccines which were available at a time of much uncertainty, and they are unsung heroes. They must not now be the subject of restrictions, based on the vaccines they took,” President Ali asserted.

Vaccines must be a unifying factor in the global quest for herd immunity, and in that regard, everything should be done to promote a process of universal vaccination, and not to create artificial barriers, as is currently the case. Already, we are seeing the adverse impact of vaccine hesitancy, which, along with vaccine nationalism, has created serious bottlenecks in the battle to bring an end to the pandemic. As pointed out by the United Nations Secretary- General, Antonio Guterres, the pandemic has demonstrated our collective failure to unite and make common decisions for the common good, even in the face of a life-threatening global emergency.

Guyana is known, over the decades, to take positive and progressive positions on international issues of concern to humanity, especially on matters of global poverty, debt relief, climate change, support for national liberation struggles and world peace. It was Guyana that placed before the United Nations General Assembly the need for a New Global Human Order, brainchild of the late president, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, which concept, incidentally, was adopted by the United Nations.

President Ali, like his predecessors, has not been found wanting in terms of advancing Guyana’s position on global issues. His advocacy for global reparations and reparative justice must be seen as yet another feather in the cap of Guyana in the struggle for economic and social justice, and to correct historical injustices that were inflicted on humanity, especially those of African descent by a ruthless system of colonialism and neo-colonial rule. In his address to the United Nations, on the occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the Adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, President Ali pledged Guyana’s support for reparations, which he saw as an integral component of racial justice and equality. He assured the world body that his administration would work assiduously towards the goal of eliminating racism. The Government of Guyana, he assured the UN, will continue to work tirelessly to eradicate all forms of racism and racial discrimination, and to ensure inclusive development with equal access and sharing in the country’s wealth.

These are not simply declaratory statements meant for international consumption. Guyana, under the PPP/C administration, has been even-handed in terms of the manner in which social goods and services have been distributed, as is manifested in several areas such as housing, public sector jobs, access to education and health services among other areas. It was under the PPP/C that the Ethnic Relations Commission was set up, and several pieces of legislation enacted to guard against any form of discrimination based on race or ethnicity.

President Ali has done Guyana, the Caribbean, and for that matter the entire developing world proud for the bold and enlightened positions he took on many issues at the United Nations, and the no-nonsense manner in which he represented and articulated these concerns, including threats to Guyana’s territorial integrity by neighbouring Venezuela. It was indeed a proud moment for Guyana, as the President took to the international stage to espouse his visionary thinking on the way forward for a secure, safe and prosperous world.