UNGA president laments vaccine inequality

"No one is safe until everyone is safe," Adulla Shahid, president of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly, said on Friday at a virtual joint media interview in Beijing.

In some parts of the world, only 2 to 3 percent of people have been vaccinated, while some countries have already started providing booster jabs, said Shahid, also the foreign minister of the Maldives.

"It is unacceptable we are unable to provide vaccines to those countries who have not been able to get them yet," he said. "I believe we have the capacity. I believe we have the means. What is lacking is the political will."

To address the vaccine gap, a high-level meeting will be convened in January, with countries and vaccine producers on the invitation list, according to the UNGA president.

"For once, we should not be finger-pointing. We should try to find a solution for this. We should be giving hope for the people of the world who require this vaccine," he added. "I'm very hopeful we will be able to achieve vaccines for all by the end of 2022."

Shahid is in Beijing for a four-day visit from Nov 24 to 27. This is the first time for Shahid to visit China since he was elected president of the 76th session of the UNGA.