The Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD) hailed the signing of three agreements between Morocco and China to manufacture Covid-19 vaccine and other vaccines.
”Clearly, this structuring and innovative project, part of His Majesty King Mohammed VI commitment to provide Morocco with complete and integrated industrial and biotechnological capacities, dedicated to the manufacture of vaccines in Morocco,” CEN-SAD said in a statement.
This royal initiative goes hand in hand with the objectives of the African Union 2063 Agenda by which the African continent has now a biotechnology hub capable of preserving medico-technological independence to face current health risks and emerging pandemics, it added.
“On this occasion, the CEND-SAD is honored to pay a tribute to the vision of the Sovereign of Morocco, for this exceptional action enabling the Kingdom to have optimal technological capabilities for an autonomous manufacturing of quality, safe, effective and affordable vaccines”, it noted, adding that “African countries will gain from the expertise, health sovereignty and leadership which Morocco enjoys on the continent”.
The Community welcomed the implementation of such a strategic structure enabling Africa to pursue the establishment of industrial clusters to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to ensure full economic integration of the continent, under the provisions of the Abuja Treaty of 3 June 1991.
“CEN-SAD urges its member states to praise His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s successful initiative, to free Africa from endemic diseases and meet medical-health emergence requirements,” it said.
Morocco will manufacture five million doses of COVID-19 vaccine each month worth $500 million, CEN-SAD recalled.