Ex-UN Secy-Gen urges vaccine equity

He made the remarks on Sunday while addressing the two-day 9th World Peace Forum, themed "International Security Cooperation in the Post-pandemic Era: Upholding and Practicing Multilateralism" at the Tsinghua University in Beijing, reports Xinhua news agency. 

More than 100 scholars from 12 countries, former senior officials from countries and international organisations and diplomats participated online and offline.

"The Covid-19 pandemic continues to upend our economies, societies and ways of life. Climate change is steadily worsening," he said while speaking at the forum via video link.

The former UN chief emphasised the need to ensure equitable distribution of Covid-19 vaccines. 

"We must remember that no one is safe until everyone is safe," he said.

"Leaders must also elevate their actions to harness the transformational blueprint of the UN SDGs to build peace and security and ensure sustainable development.

"Our multilateral recovery from this pandemic and its secondary impacts must address climate change and inequality to steer us to a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient future," Ban added.