Pakistan has called for collective, ‘effective action’ against the distribution of fake COVID-19 vaccines, urging the global community to come together to halt its production.
Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations, Munir Akram highlighted the urgency of this issue, stating that “there is a need for effective action against falsified and fake medical products — such as Covid-19 vaccines — and to strengthen international cooperation in this regard.”
Speaking at the 14th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, he said that the impact of the pandemic on transnational organised crime has been paramount.
“There is a compelling case for enhanced international action to combat and dismantle networks and platforms that perpetrate these crimes and undermine progress towards Agenda 2030,” he added.
Ambassador Munir Akram, along with other UN officials, stressed on the importance of renewed global cooperation against crime to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Coordinated approaches to the prevention and combating of transnational organized crime are critical to better recover from the crisis, help bring about peaceful and inclusive societies and make progress towards all Sustainable Development Goals,” said Akram.
Highlighting the importance of the 14th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in tackling challenges arising from the global pandemic, the UN chief said the forum’s agenda this year targets the responses needed to strengthen crime prevention and criminal justice in the current crisis, stated the United Nations official website.
“These include comprehensive crime prevention strategies to underpin social and economic development; integrated responses to shore up criminal justice systems, and revitalized international cooperation and technical assistance to prevent and address all forms of crime,” it said.
