South Africa’s governing party African National Congress (ANC) on has called for an end to the politicisation of the origins of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Lindiwe Zulu, chairperson for the International Relations Sub-Committee in the ANC National Executive Council, made the position of the party known on Friday.
Zulu said while the ANC supported the scientific investigations into the origins of COVID-19, they must not be politicised.
She expressed concern over the “politicisation” of the inquiry into the origins of COVID-19.
“Research into the origins of the virus is important from a scientific and global health policy perspective and it should not be used as a smoke-screen for geopolitical contestation that has nothing to do with ending the pandemic or understanding how to prevent future pandemics,” said Zulu.
She said COVID-19 “has killed many people and resulted in vaccine nationalism” by high-income countries.
She, therefore, urged countries to rebuild solidarity “as this is the only way to effectively combat the spread and destruction of the virus.”
Xinhua
