On Wednesday, 13 October 2021, Indonesia delivered the following statement at the TRIPS Council discussions on the TRIPS waiver.
PROPOSAL FOR A WAIVER FROM CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE TRIPS AGREEMENT FOR THE PREVENTION, CONTAINMENT AND TREATMENT OF COVID-19
Thank you, Mr. Chair, for giving me the floor and thank you also for your summary on our activity on this agenda item.
Our position aligns with what have been conveyed [or will be conveyed] by our fellow co-sponsors.
COVID-19 is without a doubt the greatest and most immediate challenge to the world today. While parts of the world are making good progress and on their way to recovery, most low- and middle-income countries are still struggling in the efforts to combat the pandemic.
A year and a half into the pandemic, close to 5 million people have died. 66 percent of people in high-income countries have so far received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine, compared to 2 percent of people in low-income countries.
Noting what other co-sponsors have said, as well as our own statements in the past, Indonesia’s position is well known. Indonesia is of the view that the TRIPS Waiver is necessary to overcome the problems arising from the highly concentrated production and distribution of the vaccines.
On the way forward, Mr. Chair, with less than 2 months left before MC12, we need to speed up our work and show good faith in resolving this issue.
Our delegation cannot stress enough the urgency of delivering an outcome on this issue at the MC12, as failure to do so… will not only reflect badly on the members but also put into question the relevance and credibility of this Organization.
We must heed the calls, including those from the Director General of the World Health Organization and most of the world leaders, that the TRIPS Waiver is needed as part of the solution to combat the pandemic.
As such, Mr. Chair, we should move beyond conceptual discussions and move towards a real text-based negotiation of the TRIPS Waiver proposal. Rest assured that Indonesia remains fully committed to engage constructively for a meaningful outcome at the MC12.
Thank you.