United Nations, Sep 23 (IANS) Abdulla Shahid, President of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), announced that he would convene a high-level event on universal vaccination next year.

"As president of the UN General Assembly, I will host a high-level event Towards Universal Vaccination: From Hope to Action," Shahid told the Global Covid-19 Summit hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden.

While Shahid did not reveal when the event will take place in his short remarks at the summit, his spokesperson Monica Grayley said that it is slated for 2022.

"We will work to shore up political support for COVAX and the multilateral mechanisms for vaccine supply and distribution," the UNGA President said.

"We will identify collective actions to quickly close the gap and ensure universal access to vaccines."

Noting that the event will address the challenges in supply and distribution, Shahid said: "I trust and hope that we can work together to make this a reality in leaving no one behind.

"I firmly believe that collectively we can work together towards universal vaccination and reach global vaccination goals.

"These vaccines promise our single greatest defence against Covid-19, our greatest opportunity to reopen the world, and our greatest asset in the race against variants."

--IANS ksk/