VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi was appointed as co-chair of the COVAX AMC Engagement Group, initiated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Vaccine Alliance (GAVI).

Marsudi, along with Ethiopian Health Minister Lia Tadesse and Canadian Minister of International Development Karina Gould, will lead the COVID-19 vaccine procurement and distribution program for 92 COVAX AMC member countries.

The Indonesian foreign minister was appointed to the post after securing a 41-percent majority of the total votes that she described as a manifestation of trust of the world, especially developing countries, such as Indonesia.

"It is a huge responsibility for Indonesia to enable all countries to have equal access to the vaccine through multilateral networks. We will attempt to shoulder the huge responsibility as aptly as possible," she affirmed here on Wednesday.

The COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) Engagement Group is a forum between the AMC member states and donor countries aimed at procuring and distributing vaccines for AMC member states.

Through the cooperation forum, 92 low- and middle-income countries, grouped in the COVAX Facility, will have access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines with the help of donor countries.

The COVAX Facility has targeted to procure vaccines for 20 percent of each AMC member state's population and support AMC member states' preparations for the national vaccination plan.

"Surely, the vaccine will be procured in stages due to limited vaccine stocks for all countries," she remarked.

Although COVAX will find it challenging to meet the target of procuring vaccine in the wake of limited resources and preparations of all countries to accept the COVID-19 vaccine, Marsudi expressed belief that close cooperation among all nations would help to achieve the target.

To follow up on her new role as co-chair of the COVAX AMC Engagement Group, the minister, through the Indonesian permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, will hold intensive communication with the Switzerland-based GAVI.

"In addition, I will contact the two other co-chairs to start our communication," she added. (antaranews)