By Olawale Ajimotokan
He stated this yesterday in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, during
an address at the 44th Edition of the United Nations World Tourism
Day 2021 celebration, with the theme: "Tourism for
Inclusive Growth."
He said the tourism sector could only open up effectively
and contribute to economic growth when the people are adequately protected from
COVID-19, adding that vaccine nationalism had heightened the inequality and
inequity in the global vaccine distribution system.
"Today, rich countries are able to procure vaccines for
their own citizens through direct agreement with pharmaceutical companies;
while low and middle income countries are lagging, unable to act as speedily as
rich countries in securing the quantity of vaccines they need or unable to
afford to pay for any at all.
"Whereas some rich countries are already talking of
third booster shots, many low and middle-income countries have not even given
one shot to their citizens. Added to this is the restriction placed on the
citizens from certain countries by the rich nations.
"These restrictions, made possible by the use of
vaccine passports, as well as the low level of vaccination in the low and
middle income countries due to vaccine nationalism that has seen rich countries
mop up available vaccines, are capable of thwarting the efforts to restart
tourism," Mohammed said.
He, therefore called on rich countries of the world to
retrace their steps and embrace collective and equitable global strategy for
COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing, procurement, and distribution, stressing that
they must also stop ineffective nationalistic disposition in COVID-19 responses.
The minister noted that COVID-19 response should be
science-driven, with experts in epidemiology, virology and the social sciences
(not politicians) taking the lead in devising and implementing science-based
strategies to reduce the risks that the pandemic poses to the most vulnerable
across the globe and to reduce transmission of this novel virus.
"It is our collective responsibility to ensure that
tourism remains a sector of hope, providing opportunities for empowerment and
entrepreneurship for people and education. I enjoin all stakeholders to place
inclusiveness at the centre of their strategies in order to develop a safe,
unique and overwhelming experience for visitors," he said.
Speaking on the theme of the 'World Tourism Day 2021,' the
minister said inclusive growth deals with policies that allow people from
different groups; gender, ethnicity, religion and across sectors; agriculture,
manufacturing, among others, contribute to and benefit from economic growth.
0 comments:
Post a Comment