US lawmaker applauds India for sending Covid vaccines to African countries

A top American lawmaker has praised India for sending COVID-19 vaccines to African countries, asserting it has shown good faith in humanity.

India has made vaccines available to 30 other countries in Africa, Congresswoman Karen Bass said on India's vaccine delivery efforts in Africa during a markup of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday.

Although there are reports that the Serum Institute of India is suspending major exports of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to the continent, they have shown a good faith in humanity, Bass, the Democratic Congresswoman from California, said as she referred to her recent meeting with India's Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu.

India, among others, made a grant in a delivery of 30,000 COVID-19 vaccines to Botswana, she said.

During another hearing by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Democracy in Latin America and Caribbean, Organization of American States Secretary-General Luis Almagro praised similar Indian move in the region.

Some countries have been, India for example, provided donations, many donations to Caribbean countries. Of course, this makes countries grateful because when you don't find solutions anywhere else, you find solutions wherever you can in order to vaccinate your people, he said.

That is why I asked during my presentations for a stronger commitment of the United States of America in order to help deliver vaccines to Canada and to Mexico -- you have a third border that is Caribbean countries -- Caribbean countries -- they should be attended too -- they should be taken care of too, Almagro said.

India has so far sent more than 60 million doses of COVID19 vaccines to over 70 countries.