Morocco Leads Africa in COVID-19 Vaccination Race, Outpacing Algeria

Morocco is the first African country to launch the vaccination campaign against the new coronavirus after receiving 2 million doses of the vaccine developed by the British laboratory Astrazeneca and 500,000 vaccines from the Chinese laboratory Sinopharm. The latter is, for the moment, being used. "We are the first African country to launch a free national vaccination campaign," say Moroccan officials to RFI.

As for Algeria, it has received 500,000 doses of the Russian vaccine, Sputnik V, and has started its vaccination campaign this Saturday. Algiers and Rabat had meanwhile ordered the Chinese vaccine. But a controversy over its effectiveness has led the Algerian authorities to reconsider. Despite this, the Algerian press has criticized China, which "has let down its historical ally to turn to Morocco".

While the kingdom has stolen a march on its neighbor, another battle is looming. It is about the manufacture and marketing of vaccines in West Africa. Already, the Moroccan authorities have obtained a technology transfer contract and the establishment of a factory in Morocco with the Chinese partner. They were also planning to distribute the Russian vaccine. However, they fear that Algeria may have obtained Moscow’s agreement to distribute Sputnik V in Africa.