BioNTech Eyes Construction Start for African Vaccine Factory in Mid-2022

Test tubes are seen in front of a displayed Biontech logo in this illustration taken, May 21, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic
Test tubes are seen in front of a displayed Biontech logo in this illustration taken, May 21, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic
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BioNTech Eyes Construction Start for African Vaccine Factory in Mid-2022

Test tubes are seen in front of a displayed Biontech logo in this illustration taken, May 21, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic
Test tubes are seen in front of a displayed Biontech logo in this illustration taken, May 21, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic

Germany's BioNTech, which developed a coronavirus jab with US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, said Tuesday it aims to begin building a vaccine plant in Africa next year.

The project is expected to address the continent's shortage of COVID-19 vaccines and boost its flagging vaccination drive, with only 5.2 percent of its population fully inoculated, according to the Africa CDC.

BioNTech said it was working with authorities in both Rwanda and Senegal and plans to begin construction "in mid-2022".

The plant will initially have capacity to produce around 50 million vaccine doses per year, the German company said.

BioNTech had in August announced plans to build "sustainable vaccine production capabilities" in Rwanda and Senegal, producing not only COVID-19 vaccines but also mRNA-based malaria and tuberculosis vaccines.

“Together, we will work on developing a regional manufacturing network to support the access to vaccines manufactured in Africa, for Africa,” Chief Executive of BioNTech Ugur Sahin said.

In July, Pfizer and BioNTech announced that they were partnering with the Biovac Group to bottle their COVID-19 vaccine in Cape Town, South Africa, beginning in 2022.

However, the creation of the messenger RNA—the most delicate and crucial step—will continue to be carried out in Europe.

Currently, just one percent of vaccines used in Africa are manufactured on the continent. The African Union wants to increase this proportion to 60 percent by 2040.

US pharmaceutical giant Moderna earlier this month also announced plans to build a vaccine plant in Africa.

Africa, home to 1.2 billion people, is the least vaccinated continent in the world.

Test tubes are seen in front of a displayed Biontech logo in this illustration taken, May 21, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic



Iranian-German Sharmahd Died before His Execution, Iran Judiciary Says

In this file photo taken on July 31, 2023 a demonstrator holds a picture of Iranian-German Jamshid Sharmahd, who has been sentenced to death in Iran, during a demonstration for his release in front of the German Foreign Ministry in Berlin. (AFP)
In this file photo taken on July 31, 2023 a demonstrator holds a picture of Iranian-German Jamshid Sharmahd, who has been sentenced to death in Iran, during a demonstration for his release in front of the German Foreign Ministry in Berlin. (AFP)
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Iranian-German Sharmahd Died before His Execution, Iran Judiciary Says

In this file photo taken on July 31, 2023 a demonstrator holds a picture of Iranian-German Jamshid Sharmahd, who has been sentenced to death in Iran, during a demonstration for his release in front of the German Foreign Ministry in Berlin. (AFP)
In this file photo taken on July 31, 2023 a demonstrator holds a picture of Iranian-German Jamshid Sharmahd, who has been sentenced to death in Iran, during a demonstration for his release in front of the German Foreign Ministry in Berlin. (AFP)

Iranian-German national Jamshid Sharmahd died before his execution, which was announced by Tehran late last month, Iran's judiciary said on Tuesday, according to state media.

State media initially reported the execution of Sharmahd on Oct. 28, following his sentencing to death by Iran's judiciary in 2023 for carrying out "terrorist attacks".

"Jamshid Sharmahd died before the execution of his death sentence," judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir said, without providing additional information.

His daughter Gazelle Sharmahd, on X, had demanded proof of his execution and called for the immediate return of her father.

Sharmahd's death exacerbated a diplomatic rift between Tehran and Berlin, with the German authorities closing Iranian consulates across Germany.

Iranian authorities said Sharmahd had headed a pro-monarchist group accused of a deadly 2008 bombing and planning other attacks in the country.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock accused Iran of playing politics with hostages and of trying to use Germany's support for Israel in the widening Middle East conflict to justify Sharmahd's killing.