Welcoming participants to the 2021 WTO Public Forum, Trade Beyond Covid-19: Building Resilience, Okonjo-Iweala stressed the need for a global economy that better responsive to the commons issues of humankind.

Okonjo-Iweala insisted that a WTO in favor of the changing economic realities and people´s demands is also urgent, because even in the fight to put an end to the pandemic, full use of trade power is made to face up unequal Covid-19 vaccine distribution.

She noted that trade works as a source of resilience during the health crisis, aiding households, businesses and governments to have access to food and medical supplies and move on economic recovery.

However, the economic and trade rebound is uneven across countries and regions, as evidenced by access to Covid-19 vaccines, she said.

In this regard, WTO´s Director General reiterated that the low immunization rate of 4% in Africa is morally unacceptable and, as new variants spread, it is a threat to health and economic revival everywhere.

pgh/Pll/msm / crc