A healthcare worker at a temporary coronavirus ward in Soweto in South Africa. AFP
A healthcare worker at a temporary coronavirus ward in Soweto in South Africa. AFP
A healthcare worker at a temporary coronavirus ward in Soweto in South Africa. AFP
A healthcare worker at a temporary coronavirus ward in Soweto in South Africa. AFP

South Africa's president urges wealthy countries to share Covid vaccines with poorer nations


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South African president Cyril Ramaphosa has accused rich countries of hoarding Covid-19 vaccines at the expense of the world’s poorest people.

Mr Ramaphosa, chairman of the African Union, warned on Tuesday that the global fight against the pandemic could be prolonged if “vaccine nationalism” continues unabated.

He said countries that had acquired vaccine supplies that went “far beyond” the size of their population should donate excess stock to poor nations.

“We are concerned about vaccine nationalism,” he told the World Economic Forum, which was held virtually this year.

“The rich countries of the world went out and acquired large doses of vaccines from manufacturers and developers. Some countries have gone beyond and acquired four times what their countries need.”

“We are saying ‘release the vaccines you have hoarded’.”

The mutation of the virus first identified in South Africa has caused havoc in the nation of 58 million.

The second wave of the disease in November led to a significant increase in infections through to early January, although the number of cases has started to fall recently.

South African president Cyril Ramaphosa addresses the World Economic Forum. WEF
South African president Cyril Ramaphosa addresses the World Economic Forum. WEF

Research suggests the new strain could be resistant to existing immunity among those who have previously been infected with Covid.

Several countries, including the UK and US, have imposed travel restrictions on arrivals from South Africa.

Mr Ramaphosa didn’t mention the new variant in his address but said the disease had created more inequality in his country.

The African Union has acquired 270 million vaccination doses from manufacturers, while the World Health Organisation’s Covax initiative will bring 600 million to the continent’s poorer countries, he said.

The supply will fall well short of inoculation for all of Africa’s 1.2 billion residents given that two doses need to be administered for each person.

In contrast, the UK has access to 357 million doses from seven vaccine developers, according to the government.

Mr Ramaphosa said the world was not safe “if some countries are vaccinating and others are not”.

“It must not be something that special countries or certain countries have on their own to the exclusion of others,” he said.

The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre turbo

Power: 181hp

Torque: 230Nm

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

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The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo

Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000

Engine: 5.6-litre V8

Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic

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The lowdown

Badla

Rating: 2.5/5

Produced by: Red Chillies, Azure Entertainment 

Director: Sujoy Ghosh

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Amrita Singh, Tony Luke

Match info

Liverpool 3
Hoedt (10' og), Matip (21'), Salah (45 3')

Southampton 0

EA Sports FC 25
Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

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Company Profile 

Founder: Omar Onsi

Launched: 2018

Employees: 35

Financing stage: Seed round ($12 million)

Investors: B&Y, Phoenician Funds, M1 Group, Shorooq Partners

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
PROFILE OF CURE.FIT

Started: July 2016

Founders: Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori

Based: Bangalore, India

Sector: Health & wellness

Size: 500 employees

Investment: $250 million

Investors: Accel, Oaktree Capital (US); Chiratae Ventures, Epiq Capital, Innoven Capital, Kalaari Capital, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Piramal Group’s Anand Piramal, Pratithi Investment Trust, Ratan Tata (India); and Unilever Ventures (Unilever’s global venture capital arm)

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
Zidane's managerial achievements

La Liga: 2016/17
Spanish Super Cup: 2017
Uefa Champions League: 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18
Uefa Super Cup: 2016, 2017
Fifa Club World Cup: 2016, 2017

The Bio

Amal likes watching Japanese animation movies and Manga - her favourite is The Ancient Magus Bride

She is the eldest of 11 children, and has four brothers and six sisters.

Her dream is to meet with all of her friends online from around the world who supported her work throughout the years

Her favourite meal is pizza and stuffed vine leaves

She ams to improve her English and learn Japanese, which many animated programmes originate in