Erdogan promises to send 15m covid vaccines to Africa

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a major summit of African heads in Istanbul that his country will send 15 million covid vaccine doses as a donation to Africa, France24 reports.

According to the news site, Erdogan announced on Saturday that Turkey will send 15 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to Africa adding that the low vaccination rates there were a blot on humanity.

“We are aware of the global injustice in accessing the Covid-19 vaccine and Africa’s unjust treatment,” Erdogan said during his speech.

“It is disgraceful for humanity that only six per cent of Africa’s population has been vaccinated.”

Heads of states from 16 African states along with more than 102 ministers and representatives of the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States attended the summit in Istanbul.

In October, Istanbul hosted business leaders and dozens of ministers from African states for a summit aimed specifically at increasing trade as Turkey wants to boost its economic cooperation with African nations.

Trade between Turkey and Africa has increased over the past 20 years from $5.4 billion to $25.3 billion.

READ: Turkey’s Erdogan says he lowered inflation to 4% before, can do again