U.S. Senate must commit to global COVID recovery by confirming trade diplomats, says AHF

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) calls for a timely Senate confirmation of President Biden’s nominees for the posts of the U.S. ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO), and chief U.S. intellectual property negotiator at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).

In a long-running stalemate at the WTO, the Biden Administration has tentatively sided with South Africa and India by backing their call for a temporary lifting of intellectual property protections on COVID-19 vaccines, while the European Union and several wealthy countries are opposing it. But, according to Politico, Senate Republicans are second-guessing this commitment and want the Administration to put in writing that in fact it opposes the waiver, before the USTR nominations can move forward.

“We call on decision makers from both sides of the aisle not to use these confirmations as bargaining chips, because while the patent waiver question is in limbo it keeps developing countries from getting the vaccines they urgently need—and without vaccinating our world, global economic and social stability remains in serious and indefinite jeopardy for everyone, including the United States,” said AHF President Michael Weinstein.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to over 1.6 million clients in 45 countries worldwide in the U.S., Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Europe. To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter: @aidshealthcare and Instagram: @aidshealthcare

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