EU urges US to allow AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine exports amid supply shortages
March 6, 2021, 10:54 am

EU urges US to allow AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine exports amid supply shortages

A vial of the AstraZeneca/Oxford Covid-19 vaccine is pictured at the Lochee Health Centre in Dundee. (File photo: AFP)

The European Union will urge the United States to permit the export of millions of doses of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine as it scrambles to bridge supply shortfalls, the Financial Times reported.

The 27-nation EU also wants Washington to ensure the free flow of shipments of crucial vaccine ingredients needed in European production, the FT report on Saturday said.

“We trust that we can work together with the US to ensure that vaccines produced or bottled in the US for the fulfillment of vaccine producers’ contractual obligations with the EU will be fully honored,” the FT quoted the European Commission as saying.

EU countries started inoculations at the end of December, but are moving at a far slower pace than other rich nations, including former member Britain and the US.

Officials blame the slow progress in part on supply problems with manufacturers.

The European Commission and Italy this week blocked a shipment of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine destined for Australia after the drug manufacturer failed to meet its EU contract commitments.

The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker has been under fire in the EU for its delayed supplies of shots to the 27-nation bloc, which ordered 300 million doses by the end of June.

“We are working 24/7 to improve delivery and hopefully catch up to the expectations for Q2,” AstraZeneca’s CEO Pascal Soriot told EU lawmakers in a public hearing in February.

The EU is also planning to extend its export authorization scheme for COVID-19 vaccines to the end of June, two EU sources told Reuters on Thursday.Germany approves use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for over-65s

Under the scheme, companies must get an authorization before exporting COVID-19 shots, and may have export requests denied if they do not respect their EU supply commitments.

source: Reuters

Image source: AFP

Levant

The Erdoğan Revolution in the Turkish Curriculum UAE reports nearly 3,000 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours, close to 250,000 tests

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”