Sisi Orders Providing Coronavirus Vaccines Once Internationally Available

A health team at the temporary coronavirus test center in Cairo on June 17, 2020 (AP)
A health team at the temporary coronavirus test center in Cairo on June 17, 2020 (AP)
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Sisi Orders Providing Coronavirus Vaccines Once Internationally Available

A health team at the temporary coronavirus test center in Cairo on June 17, 2020 (AP)
A health team at the temporary coronavirus test center in Cairo on June 17, 2020 (AP)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has ordered providing vaccines for the novel coronavirus once they are made available by international companies, said Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly on Thursday.

Head of Egypt’s Authority for Unified Procurement, Medical Supply and Technology Management Bahaa El-Din Zidan has recently sent a report to Madbouly on the efforts exerted by his authority to follow up on the latest developments worldwide on the coronavirus vaccines.

Zidan said the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations (GAVI) has presented the available vaccines, the manufacturers, and the different stages of their development, as well as the timetable for the process of manufacturing and exporting the vaccine to various countries.

The vaccines are to be manufactured in September and October and GAVI will adopt a plan for distributing them across the affected countries, he added.

Egypt has reiterated its share of the coronavirus vaccine from GAVI during a meeting held on Tuesday between representatives of the authority and officials from the global alliance, he affirmed.

The GAVI is an international body aimed at creating equal access to new and underused vaccines for children.

Along with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), GAVI co-leads the COVAX Facility, a financing mechanism designed to guarantee rapid and fair access to COVID-19 vaccines worldwide.

It aims to deliver two billion doses of safe, effective COVID-19 vaccines by the end of 2021.

Egypt has recorded 30,075 recoveries from COVID-19 since the pandemic’s outbreak.

The Ministry of Health and Population revealed on Thursday that “the index of recovery and discharge from quarantine centers continued to rise after earlier recording 33.5 percent.”

The relative stability in the rates of coronavirus infections in the country has increased the chances of overcoming the crisis.

The government has been gradually easing virus restrictions since June.



Libya Signs Geological, Geophysical MoU with Türkiye on Offshore Areas, NOC Says

Man waving the Libyan flag - File Photo/AFP
Man waving the Libyan flag - File Photo/AFP
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Libya Signs Geological, Geophysical MoU with Türkiye on Offshore Areas, NOC Says

Man waving the Libyan flag - File Photo/AFP
Man waving the Libyan flag - File Photo/AFP

Libya's National Oil Company (NOC) had signed a memorandum of understanding with Turkish state oil company TPAO to conduct a geological and geophysical study of four offshore areas, NOC said on Wednesday, Reuters reported.

"Discussions were also held regarding conducting a two-dimensional seismic survey (10,000 km long), and processing the data resulting from these surveys within a period not exceeding 9 months," Libya's state oil firm said in a statement.

NOC said the agreement was signed in Istanbul by the two companies' executives. It provided no further details.