The European Commission and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced on Wednesday 22 June the launch of a new partnership between the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean to foster the local production and distribution of vaccines and medicines, to strengthen the resilience of health systems and to promote research and innovation.
This partnership, announced at the European Development Days, is in line with the new European Global Gateway strategy. It will aim to foster the strengthening of supply chains, the exchange of knowledge and expertise and the transfer of technology between European and Latin American or Caribbean companies.
Private funding will be encouraged, in particular through support from the European Fund for Sustainable Development and the provision of catalyst funding. The Inter-American Development Bank will also be involved.
The Commission is working to refine this financial support and support could include the biotechnology sector in Cuba and Mexico. Other options are being explored, including in Chile, Colombia, Uruguay and Costa Rica. (Original version in French by Emilie Vanderhulst)