WTO CHIEF TELLS UK: SHARE VACCINES WITH POORER NATIONS

The new head of the World Trade Organization (WTO) has called on Britain to immediately start giving vaccines to poorer countries rather than wait until it has a surplus, Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) reported.

"I don't think we should wait to get surplus when other people have been served," Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told the British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC.) "I think that any donations that are coming must come now."

She added: "The reason is very simple. It's in the interest of rich countries as well as poor countries to have equitable access."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said at an online meeting of G7 leaders on Friday that Britain would donate surplus vaccines - but only once the British have been vaccinated.

Britain's fast-running coronavirus campaign has seen nearly 17 million people already receive at least one dose - a pace far quicker than much of the world, including the European Union (EU).

Now the role of wealthier nations in helping the developing world access vaccines has come to the fore amid reports of countries buying up enough jabs to vaccinate their populations several times over. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for the launch of a global vaccination plan to help counter the coronavirus pandemic.

WEEKLY FEATURE : BONNER DYTOC SHOWS THE WAY IN STOCK PLAY